When It's Over
by ThisIsHeavy
Summary: Callie must make a choice after finding herself in a familiar situation. Some allusions to The L Word. Disclaimer: Grey's Anatomy and the characters there in are the property of Shondaland as licensed by ABC. No infractions are intended.
1. Don't Leave me This Way

When something is over, when it is truly over, what do you do? Do you walk away and move on? Or do you hold on in a vein attempt to salvage the good that you remember. I am a creature of comfort so I like to stick with what I know best, even if it hurts me, even if I'd do better to just let it go. I've been hurt enough times to know that pain is unavoidable and to know that the pain that hurts less is the one you know best. So when I find myself in this familiar territory once again having to decide between fight or flight, stay or go, this time I think I'll stay. Maybe I'm choosing to stay because I feel I'm the cause of it, or maybe I'm just tired, but my mind is numb and she's crying like one of her toddler patients wrapped up in my arms. Her eyes look up to mine for confirmation but I think she knows there's nothing to find there. I'm more of a hollow shell of a person than I ever was before, and she's added to that. A hand reaches up clinging to my tear soaked shirt searching for a connection, searching for the piece of me that she lost not too long ago. There's nothing there. How do I tell her there's nothing there? I move just slightly to keep my legs from going numb in our awkward position as we sit kneeled over on the floor, but she mistakes this for an attempt to leave her there.

"Callie don't go, you said you wouldn't go" she pleads softly as I rub her back reassuringly

"I just needed to move my legs, I think we've been like this for an hour or so" I inform her.

"Calliope, that's the first thing you've said to me all day. Did you know that? It's 3pm and the best part of my day has been you telling me you needed to move your legs"

Her voice is soft and she moves my hand toward her hair indicating she would like to be stroked. I do it out of habit, not because I understand, not because I forgive, but just because I don't know how not to. I can hear her heart beating against my lap it's slow and rhythmic like a lullaby. I think back to five hours ago when the phone rang and jolted me out of a late sleep. What did her heart sound like then? Was it slow and rhythmic like now? Had it been the normal lub-dub of a person void of any expectations? Was it a hurried, frantic and chaotic pace? If only I hadn't answered the phone maybe we wouldn't be here. I know how that sounds but for now oblivion seems to be the most comforting of prospects in hindsight.

She was there for me every time I needed her Arizona had been there for me. I think in the haze of everything that happened with George, with Izzy, with my family, Arizona stood by me. She took whatever I gave her even when it hurt, even when she didn't disserve it. So maybe I disserve this, it's possible I guess if you believe in karma. She was holding on to me as if her life depended on it. All I could think about was the fact that I had to be at work soon. I didn't feel like processing anything, I don't want to think about it anymore I tell myself as I begin shutting down.

"It's finished now, you know that right?" she tells me begging for a response

"Calliope I'm so sorry, I didn't mean for it to happen. Would you please… would you just please talk to me…or look at me please?" She was begging in between sobs still pleading for my forgiveness.

"I've got work Arizona. We can't sit here like this all day"

"I'll go with you then. I'm not leaving your side until you talk to me"

For the first time in over an hour she lifted her head from my lap. Looking up at me with those sad sea colored eyes to lay a kiss on my cheek. How had I allowed this disaster to repeat itself? Someone was always cheating George was cheating, I was cheating, Mark was cheating, now Arizona. Someone was always leaving too, but not this time. This time I was going to stay; this time I was going to forgive. The only problem is I didn't know how or where to start.

That day work was torture. Just like she promised Arizona was there at every turn waiting to talk, pretending to make herself busy, and just generally being in my face. Granted this time around was more subtle than her usually abrasive head-on approach to most problems. She only offered a few questioning glances as she looked up from a chart, or offering me the last vanilla pudding if I sat with her at the cafeteria. I know I was making it look easy but it wasn't, I'm a sucker for those puppy eyes and I love vanilla pudding. But I was managing it somehow. I was determined to get a little peace and quiet just so I could think clearly. This was the second time in a short period that I had been cheated on and I just needed to clear my head. I saw Arizona stalk away with her pudding moving to sit with the chief and Derek; clearly a move of desperation since she can't stand being around the chief.

"What's up with you and that peds chick? Ya know not that I care, just if you're gonna get all moody I wanna prep myself." Cristina announces as she simultaneously plopped down beside me.

"Oh nothing out of the ordinary in fact it's par for the course in my case"

"No, no! Callie tell me you didn't sleep with Mark again."

"What? No ew! It was her, it was Arizona" I correct both amused and insulted at my roomies assumption.

"Arizona slept with Slone? Wait, how? I thought she dug holes, not poles."

"Ok first I can't believe you just said that, and second not Slone ok it was some other woman. Some slutty sounding woman with a bedtime-y voice named Bette."

"I had an art history professor named Bette" Meredith chimed in as she walked up behind Cristina

"Was her voice a sultry and alluring?" Cristina inquired

"What like that lady in the Cadillac commercial? Yeah I guess so. "

"I love that commercial." I blurt out momentarily being distracted from the problem at hand by the thought of a sexy red head asking me if my car returns the favor.

"Yeah so does Derek, wait why are we talking about this?"

"Arizona cheated"

"With a bedtime-y woman "

"Yep a bed timey woman named Bette who just might be your old art history professor."

"There was nothing old about my art history professor."

At this point the conversation continues without me. They both agree that bedtime-y women are the worst, that I should stop dating people in the hospital, and that men are much easier to handle. They then walk off in unison to find out who's scrubbing in with Bailey.


	2. Killing Me Softly

"You need to talk to her. She's neglecting children for you…"

"Mark I am not going to talk to her until I figure out what the hell I even want to say"

Mark was doing his best to be a voice of reason but from what I could tell he had more self-motivated interests at hand. So I sat in the gallery watching a clearly frustrated Arizona sweat bullets over a procedure I'd seen her perform multiple times. Her hands were shaking and even from a distance you could tell she was nowhere near steady. Alex was in on the surgery with her and was clearly a bit unnerved by the lack of levelheadedness. Mark stared me down as if in wonder; as if to ask what I was still doing in the gallery. What could I do I felt ineffective, I had lost my purpose. All I wanted to do for the rest of…well I don't know how long, but all I wanted was to go through the motions and skate by until I figured things out.

But when I looked down and saw those beautiful blue/grey eyes I felt like I was being pulled into the sea. Only today the waters weren't calm there was a storm and we were both going to get washed away if we couldn't hold on. How can she possibly expect forgiveness in a day? Had I forgotten something, was that the problem? Did I give her a reason to do it? I don't know and I'm not sure if I care but I knew I couldn't let her choke in the middle of a surgery. She was there when I needed her after-all and it was just this one time.

"Callie I've got to be honest here, whatever little girl problems you may be having with Arizona I never thought you would let it affect patient care."

"You're right Mark. I guess I should go do something." I didn't have the heart to tell him I was already planning on it before he even spoke.

"Of course I'm right, I'm Sloan, Big Sloan" He said oozing of manly pride.

Before I'm even out the door Arizona darts out of the OR looking flustered and embarrassed. We catch each other half way down the hall and I motion for hr to follow me in to a break room. Shutting the door behind me I go to sit next to her. She looks particularly weather beaten today and is going in between stages of frantic pacing and sitting on the sofa sulking in self pity. I go through all the things I'm thinking of doing in my head. What would I normally do? What I want to do is hold her, tell her it will be ok, remind her that she is a kick-ass take no prisoners surgeon and children love her. But instead I say

"What the hell was that?"

"It's been five days, what do you want from me?"

"You can not freeze during a surgery Arizona, you're an attending"

"It's been five very long days of you not being here and I can't take it, you can't be in the gallery looking at me"

"I'm here; I said I'd be here so I'm here." I say with a little too much passive aggressive hostility.

"Yeah but its worse than if you were actually somewhere else. You don't talk to me, you don't look at me, I reach out to hold your hand and I get nothing."

She's on the verge of tears but she won't let me see it, despite her admission she is still determined to keep a stiff upper lip.

"Either you're with me like you were before, like we were before or you're not with me at all, but I can't go back in there until you decide."

I let the ultimatum linger in the air. If I could push past my anger I'd admit she was right, but that's a big if.

"Oh really, your going to leave a patient you've been caring for over six years in the hands of Alex Karev , yeah good luck with that. Oh and by the way you're a doctor your first responsibility is the patient." By the time its come out I already wish I could force it back in. She's already down and I just keep kicking her out of spite.

"You're a doctor too Callie, so lets both think about my patient. Are you really going to keep her waiting when all you have to do is answer a question?"

"That's not what I came here for." I say taking care to put some calm in my voice.

"Then why are you here?"

She moves in closer to me begging with her body to be touched, even if just gently. Even though I want to I can't bring myself to do it, at least not face to face. I just can't look into her eyes yet. So I look around the room searching for something to fix my gaze on. I can feel her eyes moving round me. She reaches to cup my cheek but I turn away. After a while I gain my composure and manage to formulate a plan. I move behind her and place my hands on her shoulders. She quivers and shakes as if it were a first touch, as if our bodies were in shock from the newness and as if she could fall apart if I ever let go. I had never seen her be so fragile, so vulnerable.

"Pretend that table is an OR table" I say pointing to the extended coffee table in front of us. She nods her head in agreement.

"Show me the procedure"

She turns in an attempt to face me but I keep her fixed toward the table.

"Show me the procedure." I repeat

"It's her liver we're removing an infected portion of the liver"

"How are you going to do that?"

She motions toward the table with her hands positioned as if she were holding a scalpel. I make sure to keep steady contact with her and watch her hands to monitor her stability. My hands slip to her sides and I feel her shake nervously. A sense of passion fruit and lilacs suddenly rushes over me; she must have used the shampoo I bought her last month, and that lotion she likes from The Body Shop. Before I can stop myself my lips graze her neck. Her hands go flat and she's shaking like a cloth on a clothes line. She wants to touch me but I won't let her. I move her hands toward the table.

"Keep going." I whisper biting gently on her ear

"Calliope I can't…"

"Keep your hands steady" I insist

She continues motioning over the table and explaining the procedure. As she does this I move my hands to the inside of her shirt and lightly graze over her skin. It feels like the wildest sensation, it's better than discovering something new. It's the discovery of a lost treasure, the discovery of something I had completely forgotten. I trail kisses from the top of her neck down to her shoulder blade and I feel her heart beat go from a mile a minute back down to a steady pace. She relaxes in to me and I keep going sneaking a hand around the elastic of her scrub pants. I'm drowning in the beauty of the moment so much so that it takes me a while to notice she's stopped talking.

"What's next?"

"Nothing"

"Nothing?"

"I closed the patient"

"So, you're ready?"

"I can't, I can't look at you"

"Keep your hands steady. When you're in the OR I won't be up there looking down on you, I'll be right there behind you, just like now" I lay another kiss on her shoulder blade. Someone knocks on the door and we both know it's time. She's going to do it right this time and so will I


	3. What a Feeling

"Why did you do it?" Arizona demands as we sit on her sofa watching a movie she picked out earlier that evening.

"I thought we had a moment back there, that you were coming around to me again but now I don't know because we're sitting miles apart and it feels like…" She stares at me noticing that my eyes are fixed on the television she sighs in frustration.

"It feels like we're back to square one Calliope don't you want to talk bout anything?"

I let my frustration show as I angrily grab the remote to pause the movie.

"I am trying to respect your space. We are watching a movie together which we haven't done in a while, and I am just trying to respect your space ok."

"Respect my space? My space, really Callie?"

"Look don't make it sound so ridiculous, I am not the one who cheated ok."

"You are my space and you left me when George died it was like I couldn't reach you. I couldn't do anything and I needed someone for me. But it was George and he was your husband so I had to be strong and forget my needs. Do you have any idea how taxing that is?"

There it was after all this time the reason she cheated after all. Did I leave her? Did I forget about her? How long was I crying over George? I never even thought about what it must have been like for her. I should have paid more attention, been more concerned but I got lost in my own selfish emotions. Tender trickles of rain splatter against the window as we sit there waiting for someone to say something.

"I was hurting" I finally admit

"so was I"

The rain falls harder and begins to attack the window splashing loudly and with violence. The sound isn't so melodic or relaxing anymore. It's like the rhythm of a drummer marching off to a battlefield. It could be The Battle Hymn of the Republic, or maybe just Dixie. Whatever it was the vibrations were kicking back against the window surface and exploding onto the concrete out side. I never even bothered to notice her crying. She's a silent crier she doesn't really cry with her heart most times so it's easy for her tears to be drowned out in such a malicious rain. But when I see it I move forward. I hold her head in my hands and stroke her hair softly just like I used to. When she looks at me I feel lost again. In her eyes I'm off at sea trying to wait out the storm and praying to whatever god will hear me to just keep us afloat. I motion for the remote to start the movie again but she whispers a gentle no so I put it down. We stay like that for a while waiting for her tears or the rain to stop, whichever comes first.

Some time later she starts to kiss me. Just soft pecks at first, but they grow repetitive and incessant. Then she's searching for my lips and when she finds them I return her kisses, but not with the same needy passion as her. I don't want to lose myself in her again, not just yet and probably because I don't quite trust her anymore but whatever the reason I can't be where she is right now. Her hands move down to my thighs as she trails kisses from the top of my arm down to the bottom of my v-neck before tenderly removing my shirt for me. She kisses a trail down to my belt line and lingers there for a while before undoing my pants. Every inch of me is fighting for control but she won't let me have it. Whenever I move she moves back letting me know that I shouldn't do anything.

"I missed this, I missed you." She says before pulling at the elastic of my panties with her teeth.

She starts to massage my walls gently with her thumb. I wanted to tell her I missed her too, but my mind was racing and I couldn't get any words out clearly. Her tongue moves down to meet her thumb and she sends a rush of sensations speeding their way from my nerves to my brain. I can't help it I've fallen again and I know that means trusting her again, but I can do that I tell myself because the feeling I have right now is something only she can bring about, and I don't think I want to go without it, or her ever again. But before I can give in completely she pauses and I catch a glimpse of her just for a second she's laying kisses all across my inner thigh, but my head doesn't recognize her. Just for a fraction of a second I have to ask her to stop cause I can't shake the image in my head.

"wait, wait…can you slow down a bit babe?" I ask in between gasps of air

"Why, I thought you liked when I…" She trails off deciding it would be better to show me than to tell me.

"I do babe, trust me I love it when you…yeah that" Arizona releases a satisfied giggle

"But you've got to stop cause I can't see you"

"Well do you wanna get a mirror, or a camera or something?" She asks half joking and yet still serious

"No! What I mean is there's someone else where you should be. There's a bedtime-y woman from the Cadillac commercials and her name is Bette. So like I said you have to stop cause as hot as she is I only want to see you"

"I love that commercial, the one with the red head?" she inquires and I nod in affirmation

"Yeah but I'm pretty sure her name is Kate."

"Arizona, that is not the point!"

"I know, but I just wanted to see your face when I said it." She pauses tilting her head as if to indicate she is in deep, pensive concentration.

"Now then Calliope, what do you purpose we she do about this little problem?" she asks with a sincere smile.

"Can I ask you about her?"

"Well, it's a total buzz kill but go ahead, ask away"

I've had some of these questions on my mind for ages, but I guess I've been hesitant to ask because I didn't know what knowing would do for me, or for us. She's sitting with her legs wrapped around me now. I feel a sense of eager anticipation coming from her. I guess she's been waiting for this too.

"Is she a red-head?" The first question comes timidly, but she responds with a giggle

"No, she's um she's a brunette"

"Like me?" I ask a little surprised

"No, Callie she is nothing like you or the woman in the Cadillac commercial for that matter"

"Well is she an art history professor?"

"She was at one point…wait what, how would you know?"

"Meredith Grey."

"Oh no! no you have got to be kidding me!" Arizona responds in shock

"Well then that settles it. I'm going home."

"Wait why, she's just an old professor"

"Arizona I Googled Meredith's professor, I wanted to see what I was up against"

"And?"

"and there's nothing old about Bette Porter. I have to go home I'm picturing scenes from Flash Dance and you with a bucket of water and a ladder."

"I love that movie!"

"That is so not the point here" I say as I hastily put on my clothes.

* * *

It's been a month now since that night at Arizona's. We fought hard to get ourselves here but it was totally worth it. The sex is mind blowing and amazing. More than that though, we are just so much more in tune with each other than we ever were before. She's helping me to not shut down every time I get dealt a bad hand, and I'm helping her see that I can be there for her when she needs me if she's willing to admit that she needs me. I can't lie, I do still have the occasional spasm any time someone mentions Flash Dance or Irene Cara. But, We've been happy and happy is so good.

We're sitting and enjoying our lunch break together just goofing off and making eyes at each other when out of no where Cristina runs over as if she's being chased by a mob.

"Who lit a fire under your butt today Yang?" Arizona says jokingly

"Ok whatever, no time to talk just thought you should know Flash Dance lady is here." Cristina snorts

I freeze in my seat.

"Flash Dance Lady?" Arizona looks confused

"The professor, ex-professor. I mean you should know right, since you cheated with her."

Arizona's mouth drops to the floor and with that Cristina stalks away back to her happy bubble world with Meredith and Owen. I get up to leave but Arizona grabs my hand.

"Wait Callie you need to know what happened"

"Oh no I don't I've got very explicit pictures in my head and a vivid imagination I can put it together myself." I assure her.

"Callie I don't even know why she's here"

"She probably came to win you over with her long legs and feathery hair."

"Callie you have got to stop googling people. Will you just hear me out."


	4. The Bitch is Back

**AN:** I wrote this part of the story in third person because of the direction it's taking. I think the next chapter will be in third person too. Then I will switch back to Callie's voice.

* * *

Three months ago and two weeks after George's death Arizona was on her way out of the hospital alone, something she had grown accustom to doing since the young resident's passing. It seemed everyone in the hospital had just fallen to pieces and she was one of the few with the luxury of unfamiliarity. She never really got the chance to know George, though she did hear the stories, of which there were plenty. She was initially in shock and very much saddened She never understood why people so young and gifted are often tragically taken away. But, after the first week Arizona just wanted things to start picking up again if not at work than at least with her girlfriend. It seemed Callie had all but shut her out. Every night before they would wait for each other to finish, and then Callie would walk her to her car; it was their ritual. Now Callie would just stay in the hospital reading over charts and barely looking up unless her pager went off. Arizona couldn't even remember the last time they had a decent conversation. Mostly they'd just lay together in the on-call room unless Callie was in the mood, which she often was, then they would do more than lay there. But no one ever talked, and Callie never left. She wanted to be stuck there with everyone else in that pitiful condition of morning.

At first Arizona told herself to be understanding and she fought so hard to stifle the feelings of anger that were bubbling up inside of her. But the thing was She felt conflicted, Callie was her bright spot, her morning sunshine. She knew and respected her as an independent woman, but she also felt very territorial about her girlfriend. It was hard enough to ignore the suitors both male and female that Arizona saw checking Callie out everywhere they went, but now she felt like she was competing with a dead guy. So she walked out to her car alone one more time, or at least that's what she thought.

"Arizona Fucking Robbins?" she heard a voice playfully calling her.

There was only one woman in the world who ever called her name that way. Sure enough she looked over to find Bette Porter standing inches away from her.

"Bette, wow! It's been ages. What…what are you doing here?"

"The hospital's redoing some of the art-schemes around the building and I've been hires to oversee it"

"Oh wow, small world." Arizona sighed passively

"Yeah tell me about it, I didn't even know you worked here but I saw your name on the surgical board and…well you look amazing by the way"

"Yeah you and your tailored suit and glowing skin you never change. It's good though you're just as beautiful as I remember"

Arizona wondered what she was doing talking to Bette. The last time they spoke they were shouting at each other and Bette was pushing her to leave. The last conversation they ever had was at the house warming party Bette conveniently forgot to invite her to, the one where she found out about the legend that is Bette & Tina. She'd cried her eyes out before finally deciding to move to Seattle. Now it seemed like a little piece of L.A was following her everywhere she went.

"Listen, I'm going to be back and forth between here and L.A over the next couple of months. It'd be nice to catch up if you don't mind."

Arizona found herself wishing she had Callie to talk to or someone to ease her mind and tell her that this was a bad idea, but there was no such person everyone seemed to be off in another world.

"Yeah Sure why not" she said handing over a slip of paper with her number on it.

"You know if you're not doing anything tonight we could meet up or something"

Arizona wondered about the _or something_ Bette could have been referring to. They stood mere inches apart in a sort of awkward anticipation. Bette really hadn't changed much in the five years since Arizona left. She still exuded that aura of quiet confidence that Arizona was so infatuated with.

"I uh…I have a…" Arizona couldn't seem to find the words

"You're busy, I understand. Maybe some other time then?" Bette interjects while taking a hold of Arizona's hand.

The hand hold was such a small gesture but it was almost too much for Arizona to take. She couldn't remember the last time she held Callie's hand, or that Callie held hers. She imagined the hand in hers would be smooth and warm with a hint of vanilla cream lotion. Instead she was overwhelmed by the aroma of Flower Baum and crushed lavender. She saw Bette as this beautiful woman full of purpose, a woman who could have anything she wanted, but all Arizona wanted was Callie. Unfortunately her girlfriend was off in another world and Arizona hadn't seen a trace of her in what seemed like forever. She had to stay strong she told herself while quickly letting go of the hand that was holding so tenderly on to hers.

* * *

Arizona hadn't been home for more than ten minutes before she started to panic. She checked her phone constantly to make sure it wasn't on silent. Why hadn't Bette called yet, it was kind of late after all. But maybe she didn't want her to call, maybe this was the exact opposite of what she needed. She reminded herself of her very sexy girlfriend who was just going through a tough spot and would be back to ship-shape in no time. But then that little voice in the back of her head started to tell her things. It was just catching up with a friend, she hadn't talked to anyone in a very long time, Callie would understand, at least that's what she told herself. She fought with herself for over three hours and then the phone rang. She let it ring three times because she really wasn't going to answer, but in the end the voice won out.

"You know for a second I thought you wouldn't answer." Bette says playfully

"Yeah I wasn't sure if I should. So last I checked you were a professor, now your…what are you doing exactly?"

"gallivanting across the country erecting giant penis statues"

"Oh that's exactly what Seattle Grace needs is a large erection"

"I see you haven't lost your sense of sarcasm. Well any way I had a little misunderstanding with a student so I had to cut the university gig short."

"Somehow I get the feeing it was more than a misunderstanding."

"yeah well you haven't met Nadia"

"Ooh, Nadia; it sounds like a Russian stripper's name. I kinda like it."

She gives off a breathy laugh that reminds Arizona of how much fun they used to have together. Back then she was just out of a graduate program and working at a museum and Arizona was the coffee shop girl she couldn't stop looking at.

"God I was on about three mochas a day before I got up the nerve to talk to you"

"Really?" Arizona asks surprised.

"Yeah, I mean you just had this smile, it still makes me melt. But you know I guess we were never meant to be"

"Oh come on now your glamorizing it, we all know I was never going to be able to compete with Tina. How is she by the way?"

The conversation slows. If it wasn't for a soft sigh on the other end Arizona wouldn't even have known she was still there. She tells Arizona about Tina's new job in New York and how its been really hard on her since the market in New York is so congested for art dealers. She talks about how much she misses her TWO KIDS. That's when it hits Arizona, Bette's got everything Arizona ever wanted with Callie only she didn't know how to get there. Before Arizona knew it They were meeting up for drinks or lunch and at first it is just talking, just catching up. She tricked herself into thinking that she could handle this, she actually told herself it was like doing Callie a favor by giving her more space. The truth though, is that what ever happened and what ever was happening was quickly evolving into a very irresponsible manipulation of each other. Arizona knew all of Bette's weaknesses and she knew Arizona's. They were both playing a game and waiting to see who would bite first.

And then Arizona bit…

* * *

**Please Review**. I'm a softy for input.


	5. The Thrill is Gone

**AN:** This is the last one in third person. I will switch back to Callie's voice for the next one.

* * *

What was she doing in a hotel room? What was she doing alone in a hotel room with Bette Porter? Those were the two questions that kept creeping in to Arizona's head. Callie was still at the hospital, Arizona thought of going back. She thought maybe if she pleaded with her Calliope would finally come home at a decent hour so they could have some alone time. She tried she put out all the signals she could but the person responding wasn't the person she intended the signals for. In the last month it seemed everything Callie missed, Bette managed to catch. When Arizona was excited about a new Fiest album Bette bought it for her, when she was told to cut her department budget by ten percent Bette was there to listen to her rant. It had now been over a month since George died and it seemed Callie was just not interested in snapping back to life. So here she was in this hotel room wishing to be there with her girlfriend and not her seductive ex.

"You should take off your shoes and make yourself comfortable" Bette suggests pointing to a sofa in the middle of the room. The sofa just happens to be pointed toward the bed and Arizona can't help but feel a not so subtle implication, but she does as she's told, however hesitantly.

"What's that?" Bette inquires pointing toward a skillfully drawn fake tattoo on Arizona's wrist.

"Oh that; one of my kids, a patient did it"

"Is her name Calliope?"

Arizona ran her hands through her hair flustered and confused. How had she known? Did Arizona mention Callie in passing? Had Bette already been privy to the hospital gossip? A film of nervous sweat began to gather across Arizona's freckled chest as her breathing became heavier. She really needed a cigarette at this point, but there were none to be found. The only resource she had was her will power and she could feel it was caving pretty quickly. Bette joins Arizona on the sofa handing over a glass of red wine which Arizona drinks far too quickly.

"I meant the patient by the way" Bette continues

"What?" is all Arizona can manage.

"It's Greek right, Calliope is a Greek name?" Bette puts on a devilish flirtatious smile that makes Arizona feel she is being toyed with.

"It's my girlfriend" Arizona finally manages to blurt out

"I mean SHE is my girlfriend"

Taking Arizona's hand in hers, Bette traces a finger over Callie's name

"Oh" Bette casually tosses the word out as if this new information is of no consequence to her. Her finger still lingering over Callie's name she continues to question Arizona.

"So she's Greek, probably very pretty right?" Arizona tilts her head to the side smiling at the thought of Callie's big brown eyes and 1,000 watt smile.

"She's um…she's Cuban. Her mother teaches English lit, that's why the Calliope and the Iphigenia."

"Well you must love her a lot to get Sharpied for her" Bette says sarcastically giggling as if she knows something Arizona doesn't.

"I do, like you love Tina"

"You're right" Bette admits "I do love Tina"

Arizona gulps down another glass of wine and curses internally at the irony of a painting leaning against the wall. It's a still-life of a burnt-out cigarette smoldering in an ash tray next to a half eaten donut on a coffee table. Bette follows Arizona's gaze over to the painting.

"I painted that one, right after you left actually." She places Arizona's hand on her lap covering it with her own.

"Can we please talk about something else" Arizona begs.

Bette still wearing her devilish grin runs the tips of two fingers across Arizona's lips as if to brush something away. But Arizona knew there was nothing to brush away, she recognized this as the same mind game Bette had played on her all those years ago. She looked down at her hand and saw Callie's name, it felt like the universe was trying to remind her of who she should be with. That one little thing was keeping her strong; every time she wanted to try something she would reach out her hand towards Bette and see Callie's name. And Bette Certainly wasn't making it easy. She'd scoot closer and act as if it was to better reach the wine bottle, she'd lean in and whisper things that could have been spoken aloud, or she'd just give Arizona a compliment as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Well," Bette finally responded, "People usually don't get invited up to hotel rooms to talk"

With that She slides Arizona's wrist up to meet her lips and sucks down on it sweetly. Moving up to Arizona's fingers she takes each one individually in her mouth sending Arizona's sensitive nerve endings in to a frenzy. Finally Bette shortens the gap between Arizona's lips and her own. She cups Arizona's chin pausing first at a sign of unease in the blonde.

"Would it help if I told you I live in L.A?"

"I thought you said you guys moved to New York" Arizona let out is a breathy gasp.

"Tina and the kids live in New York. Remember how I said that market was saturated? The economy does wonders to a relationship."

Things seemed to relax a bit and they started to talk about things again. Arizona stared down at the spot where Callie's name had been drawn in Old English lettering. It was faded and smudged now from being sucked on, but she could still make out Callie's name. She wanted to leave, she wanted to be smarter, but she also yearned for the attention, it was something she hadn't seen from Callie in a very long time. So, instead of spending another night alone, she stayed. There were things she had been keeping from Callie because of Callie's past, and because she didn't want things to be over before they began. It's why she hadn't said a word about the smoking, or the fact that she was arrested and had spent three months in prison for being part of a demonstration group that turned in to an ugly mob. It was also why she never mentioned her reputation as a flirt. What could she say, she liked to be complimented. But for all her flaws there were a million more good things. It was the good things Arizona wanted to focus on, but the longer she stayed the further Callie seemed to fade away.

"Are you going to tell me about her?" Bette asked.

"No, no I'm not." Arizona smiled fully aware that she was flirting back now.

"Well can I ask about her?" Bette pushed on.

Arizona smiled and leaned in to Bette "No, no you can't." she replied before giving the other woman the kiss they had both been waiting on.

It was a wild, passionate, sloppy kiss just like their kisses had always been in the past each one of them fighting for dominance and continuing the tug of war until they both tired out. Arizona caught a glimpse of her wrist where Callie's name had been, but any semblance of Calliope was completely gone now. All that was left was just a black smear. She felt disgusted with herself and angry at the situation, but her disgust and anger were not enough to stop what was already happening. In fact they fueled it, the more anger she felt toward Callie the more ravenous she became. She pushed off against Bette and yanked on her blouse until it flew open and she laid 1,000 angry and biting kisses across the other woman's chest. Bette wasn't fighting it anymore she'd conceded control to Arizona after trying and failing to suppress some of the passion the blonde was unleashing.

Arizona playfully barked orders at Bette and the brunette happily complied as best she could. Before long they were both naked and panting for air trying to finally reach a climactic end. With Arizona's legs firmly wrapped around Bette's so that their centers met, She pulled her fingers from the other woman

"I wanna see what you look like when you finish" came Arizona's husky voice as she lowered Bette's hand down indicating she should finish the job for herself. They were over the moon within less than a minute. For a while they just lay on the sofa letting their thoughts gather, but when Arizona's relaxed face started to grow tense Bette gave her a soft peck and guided her over to the bed where they fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Arizona woke herself up at 3am the next day in a frenzied panic over the previous night's transgressions. She looked over to find Bette blissfully asleep as if nothing could ever bother her. For a while she just sat at the edge of the bed after getting dressed. She didn't want to go back and face Callie, she felt like a slutty whore, no she was a slutty whore. How could she tell Callie that her girlfriend was a slutty whore? It's not that the sex wasn't great, because it was if fact earth shattering sex, but Arizona didn't feel so good about it anymore. So she sat there wondering how such an exuberant feeling could be so fleeting.

Finally she got up the nerve to leave, she didn't even bother to check if she had disturbed Bette, she didn't leave a note she just left and ran straight to the convenience store. Three Hostess coffee cakes and four Virginia Slims, that's what it takes to get Arizona calm enough to put her key in to Callie's door. She doesn't even know why she went there she just wanted to feel Callie was close by. She figured her girlfriend was most likely at the hospital still drowning herself in work so she just laid on the couch until she fell back asleep

A short while later she smells the aroma of bacon, eggs, pancakes and caramelized fruit. Her stomach does about ten giant back-flips demanding her to find the source of this food. But she's still tired and a little hung-over so she stays put. Arizona thinks she hears the phone ringing but she can't tell if it's just her head pounding or perhaps a dream. She's about to get up to check but then the ringing stops.

When she finally gets up Callie's sitting at the counter with two plates of food in front of her. Calliope cooked for her, that's the thought running in Arizona's mind. Of all the things she could have done, Callie cooked for her. She walked over to greet Callie and was rewarded with a peck on the cheek.

"I thought after you freshened up we could have breakfast together." Callie said with a peculiar infliction in her voice.

But it was no matter; Arizona wanted what she saw in front of her which was her girlfriend and a plate of yummy deliciousness. So she scurried off to the restroom to take care of herself. When she looked in the mirror she realized she was still wearing her clothes from the day before. Had Callie noticed? Would Callie comment on her sex-hair or would she just think it was bed-head? Arizona didn't want to think about these things she just wanted to forget it ever happened, but as she brushed her teeth she noticed the black smudge on her wrist and she knew then she could never forget.

As she sat down to eat her food Callie took her by the hand, she hadn't done that in so long and Arizona had to fight back her tears.

"Arizona this isn't enough, I know this isn't enough" Callie starts pointing at all the food.

"But it's what I do, sorry is hard for me so I buy things, or I cook things, I don't say sorry, not usually ok?"

Arizona nods her head to indicate that she understands, but she wants so badly to tell Callie she's not the one who needs to apologize. Instead they sit quietly eating together until Callie picks back up where she left off. She hesitates giving Arizona a once over before starting again.

"I saw you last night" Arizona freezes, she's sure she's been caught.

"Calliope…"

"No, let me finish. I saw you last night like I really saw you. I wasn't stuck in myself or burying my head in the sand. I looked at you and I saw you for who you were, I don't remember the last time I did that. But you were so fragile looking last night that I was scared outta my mind to go home with you because I knew it was my fault."

A short silence follows and Arizona picks at her food uncomfortably.

"I did want to go home with you last night." Callie assures her.

"So anyway I started cooking this breakfast, I was going to write sorry out on the pancakes with the banana slices, but then the phone rang."

Arizona chokes a little on her orange juice.

"Strange thing is, it was for you" Callie continues.

"Oh, who was it?" Arizona asks with a nervous sense of surprise.

"Well she said her name was Bette. You know she must have thought I was you though, that makes sense though seeing as it was your phone I answered."

"Why didn't you just let it go to voicemail?" Arizona felt a hostile tension in the air, but you couldn't tell it from Callie's voice. If anyone had walked by they would probably think Callie was discussing a treatment plan with Arizona, but the look on her face said it all; things were not good.

"She wanted to know if she'd managed to lick the ink off, or was your girlfriend's name still there." Callie finally finished before dropping her fork and letting it clatter on to her plate.

"Calliope I can explain, I can just hear me out ok. Just…" Before Arizona could finish Cristina stalked out of her room and effectively broke Callie's attention.

"Ok evil cooking woman, you do know I'm Jewish right?"

"Oh please Cristina you're a bad Jew" Callie retorted as she watched Cristina grab a fork full of bacon.

"No bacon, I eat it without thinking so no bacon."

"fine." Callie huffs watching Yang walk out the door.

Callie then grabs her coat to leave, but Arizona won't let her and fighting her seems pointless because they are both too emotionally exhausted to fight. They finally crash onto the floor with Arizona resting in Callie's lap defeated.

* * *

Arizona looks over at her girlfriend, she's beautiful she thinks. She knows they are so good together right now, but if she didn't tell Callie the full story right now, there's no telling what Bette Porter might let slip. As painful as it was she's glad to have gotten it out. As shaken as Callie looks, they still leave the cafeteria arm in arm which is reassuring to Arizona. She knows they are going to be ok, at least she thinks so.

* * *

**Please Review**. I'm a softy for input.


	6. Wanna be Startin' Something

"Professor-Ex is in exam room one waiting for you" Cristina scoffs on her way to pick up the films from an EKG.

"Why is she waiting for me?" I ask completely flushed.

"I paged Dr. Chang but she didn't like him said he was too shaky in the hands" Cristina mocks a decrepit old geezer walk.

This is great, just great. How in the world would I treat a woman who I felt like smashing in to a million little pieces? The hospital was busy with panic as the threat of a merger put everyone on their best behavior. Even if I did want to kill her, I couldn't, I valued my job too much for that to ever be a problem. But I was angry, very angry. Why had she been admitted to the hospital anyway, wasn't she just there to redecorate? And how was it that she needed treatment from me, out of all the ailments she could have been suddenly afflicted with she miraculously landed upon one that required treatment from me. Arizona wheeled her way over with a little too much vigor and had to grab on to my arm to stop herself.

She straightened her hair today, she knows I like it curly but she straightened it anyway and she had a doughnut with her. That could only mean one thing, we were about to have a very uncomfortable conversation.

"Calliope" Arizona said with a chuckle.

"I got you a coffee. Two sugars one cream with a shot of mint." Darn if if she didn't know how to get to me.

"I'm listening." I inform her suddenly perky after taking a sip.

"I was thinking…"

Why was it that every bad idea started out with that phrase? I had a million and one examples of bad ideas that came about because of the phrase "I was thinking…" I wonder if the guy that decided Howard the Duck would be a good movie pitched it out by saying that. Arizona paused, I guess she recognized the far off look in my eyes.

"Hey, what are you thinking about?"

"Howard the Duck"

"I loved that movie. Shame it didn't do better Lea Thompson was hot"

"Is hot, Lea Thompson is hot in a sexy older woman way."

Arizona raises an eyebrow and before I know it we've digressed into another one of our "who's hotter" conversations. Apparently she completely disagrees with my assertion, but she always disagrees when the person isn't her so I'm used to it. Apparently some time after The Beverly Hillbillies and before Caroline in the City Lea went from smoking hot to stiff and crazy looking.

"Arizona you said the same thing when we were watching Unfaithful and I got a little distracted"

"You were practically drooling and Diane Lane has patchy legs."

Finally recognizing that we need to get back to work Arizona puts her serious face on. We walk over to an on-call room so we can have our serious doctor conversation in private.

"Mark Sloane is a pig and I am not talking about my sex life with a man that knows more about your anatomy than I do"

I love it when she is upset because she gets this pouty petulant look on her face that is distinctly Arizona and she has no idea how sexy-cute it is. She stands there huffing and tossing her hair as if anything other than me completely agreeing with her is going to cause major kicking and screaming.

"I don't even know what you're talking about, Arizona why would you be talking about sex with Sloan?"

"Because it's all he talks about Callie! Everything is a sexual innuendo with him. Honestly I don't get why you two are friends"

Arizona's theatrics grow wilder, now she's added stomping her foot and spinning in a circle. I do my best to muffle a laugh.

"Wait Arizona are you trying to ask me to…to stop being friends with Mark Sloan?"

"Maybe." She admits biting down on her bottom lip.

I can't help it, in my head all I can think about is the fact that she cheated. Here she is being jealous and making demands, but she's the one who cheated. I'm trying to understand the logistics of this situation, but I'm a numbers person so all the analysis just ends up hurting my head. She cheated; I should be the one with the trust issues, I should be the one making demands.

"He says you can do this thing with your toes and…."

I cover her mouth in horror before she can finish

We are moving on and building a stronger relationship which is based on trust and compromise so that is what I do, at least the best I can.

"Arizona I can't see a point when Mark and I won't be friends. He helped me through a lot. And really when you get past all the man-whore craziness he is a beautifully kind and giving person. Having said that I will talk to him about all the sex talk and what is and isn't ok to say about me. Is that all?"

"Well there is one other thing…" Arizona continues shyly

I don't even speak, but I do give her a look that lets her know she can proceed with caution.

"Five people Calliope, I counted five people staring at you in that top, and it's very nice very sexy. But do you think you could cover up today cause I almost spilled my very hot coffee all over nurse Rodger, and that Irish girl from legal."

"Oh the one with the dark hair and the green eyes. She's gorgeous, you really think she's in to me?"

"Calliope I think I'm gonna cry."

"Oh come on, you are it for me, and you're incredibly cute when you're all jealous and stuff but relax."

I give her a quick peck on the cheek before heading for the door.

"Now if you'll excuse me I have to go set your ex-girlfriend's ankle"

Before I can get a foot out Arizona shuts the door behind me.

"Umm can't Dr. Chang or one of the ortho residents handle that?" she asks me playfully.

I give her my I'm sorry pout so she knows that I get it.

"Normally I would say yes if I had a choice, But apparently Dr. Chang isn't good enough for the Bette Porter."

"Wait, are you saying she REQUESTED you?" Arizona demands her face going from a flirty grin to an angry puff of red.

Before I know it she's grabbed the chart out of my hands and stormed out of the room. All I can do is chase after her as she bursts in to the exam room where Bette is waiting to be examined. Arizona unleashes a furry of expletives that totally blow me away since I am so accustomed to her colorful euphemisms. I've never seen her be this upset with someone. There's a professional part of me that thinks of warning her not to yell so loudly since the exam rooms are only separated by a curtain. Then there's that part of me that thinks this whole thing is a major turn on.

"You requested her? You fucking cunt where the hell do you get off? I made a mistake with you, a huge mistake. But that doesn't give you the right to come in here and fucking request my girlfriend you sadistic little bitch."

Bette just sits there calmly taking in all of Arizona's word. I have to admit pictures do not do her justice. She is absolutely amazingly breath taking. Even as she sits there with her ankle swollen and contorted I can't help but think that I might have been tempted, you know if it wasn't for the whole sleeping with my girlfriend thing.

"Arizona I requested the best. It's not my fault the best orthopedic surgeon in the state happens to be your girlfriend." Bette calmly explains.

"well thank you, I think." I chime in surprised by the backdoor compliment.

"Callie!" Arizona warns me frustrated.

I move over to get a look at Bette's ankle but Arizona won't let me get anywhere near it.

"The bitch probably did it on purpose, let her suffer."

"Oh my god Arizona I was trying to move a bust of Walter Tapply and the damn thing fell on my foot. Why would I do that on purpose?"

I can see that Arizona is not in the mood to listen to reason so I pull her aside for a little chit-chat.

"hey, listen you are clearly pissed, and despite the fact that I am embarrassingly turned on by that, you need to calm down. Why don't you go for a walk outside, I'll even give you a pass if you sneak a smoke ok."

Arizona nods in compliance and eventually leaves the room. Afterwards I get a good look at the swollen ankle in front of me. It's pretty banged up but it's not that bad and definitely not something I needed to be paged over. I wish to god Cristina left her with Dr. Shaky-Hands, she probably would have ended up with a permanent limp. She looks at me quizzically and I wonder if she knows she's doing it. It seems like she's not even trying, but she just exudes raw sex, I can see how Arizona would be tempted. She's got power-bitch sex appeal written all over her, and I don't know anyone who isn't secretly in to that.

"She really loves you" Bette states suddenly.

"No talking. Your ankle's not that bad. I'm going to reset the bone and page a resident to bandage it up for you. Lots of ice and keep light on your feet."

"I'm just saying she usually doesn't stay when she's been hurt, she loves you. But we were both in a bad place. We took advantage of each other because we both knew our hearts were somewhere else."

"Ok, I guess while you're here you can get your ears checked because I think I already told you not to talk to me. Really the only words I wanna hear out of you are '_owe it hurts_' or '_I feel better now thanks'"_

I use my left arm to lock her leg in place, and then I pull hard with my right without giving any warning.

"Owe, that hurt!" Bette exclaims.

"Look, I'm not above admitting that I was wrong, I was wrong. But, if I ever see you anywhere near my girlfriend again there isn't a surgeon in the world that's going to be able to fix you."

"Understood." Bette sighs.

"Good, I feel much better now." I say as I walk out of the room.

* * *

**Please Review**. A big thank you to those who are reading. I really enjoy your comments. I'm a little worried about this chapter, I think there's too much dialogue, but most of it was needed. So let me know, I'm a softy for input.


	7. Linger

**AN**: This fic took a turn I wasn't expecting. Rest assure everything will be fine eventually but this is a heavy chapter.

* * *

We're at that stage of forgiveness where everything goes back to normal. Back to doughnuts and Doritos on the sofa, back to drinking way to much wine and waking up with your underwear on backwards, back to bed sheets that smell of lilacs and passion fruit, back to blue skies. Arizona stays over most nights which is the only change from our pre-cheating relationship. I can't say that I object to the frequency of her visits, especially since Cristina is out most of the time. Tonight Arizona is sick and I'm playing care-giver it's actually a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Watching her hair toss about as she tries to prevent the medicine spoon from going in her mouth and the way her nose wrinkles when she sniffles makes me feel warm inside because I'm needed by someone.

"You have to take the medicine or you won't get better"

"But it's yuckie and I don't want to."

She kicks her feet out from under the covers and tries to keep from hurling as she heads for the bathroom. I don't know why she even bothers trying to get up, this is her third attempt but it ends the same as the last two attempts: she gets about three good steps in before getting overwhelmed by a feeling of dizziness and rushing back under the covers.

"Oooh, WHY do children have to be so full of germs?" Arizona asks as if pleading to god.

"Hey, you are a kick-ass peds surgeon; you can handle a few germs. Now open the hanger this plane's coming in for a landing." I say the last part a little too sing-song while I whirl the spoon around as if it were a plane. Arizona responds by giving me an incredulous look.

"Ok well how about no sex until you get better? You gonna take this stuff now?"

Arizona grabs the spoon from me and swallows a mouth-full of purple syrupy goodness then opens her mouth exposing her tongue to show me it's all gone.

"Are you always like this when you're sick?"

"Oh shut up you love it."

"You're right, I do" I agree giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.

"Can we have sex now?" she asks as if she's earned some reward.

"No, we cannot have sex yet because whatever you got I don't want it."

She starts huffing again in classic petulance, then her face perks up as if she's been hit with a bolt of genius.

"What if we just skip right to the good part, no kissing, no face to face contact, just…" she sneezes

"Oh no, you are not sneezing on my nether regions"

Arizona was sitting cross legged now probably trying to figure out a way to get some form of sex out of me. I motion for her to lie down next to me and she complies. I kiss the skin around the nape of her neck; it's so soft and tender that I could live off of the feeling from just this one spot. We stay like that wrapped up in each other until she starts to doze off. That's when I make my move, I sneak under the covers and find my way to her center.

"Ugh, Calliope what are you doing." She asks, her voice a little groggy.

"Taking your shorts off" comes my matter-of-fact reply. "I never said I couldn't do anything."

I'm not even two minutes in before Arizona shouts out a sudden "Oh my GOD!"

"Ok, well that was kinda quick, you wanna try again?" I ask a little disappointed.

"Oh no, no I'm good."

I pull my head up from the covers to see what's got my girlfriend so up in arms and almost pass out at the sight. Mark Sloan is standing right in front of the threshold to my bedroom wearing an outfit that has been completely drenched in what smells like beer. He's got this look on his face that tells me he's been standing there enjoying the show for a while.

"Mark what the hell?" I demand giving him my best pissed off face.

"Torres we need to talk." He doesn't even try to explain what he's doing here or how he got in which is Arizona's biggest concern.

"How did you get in?" She implores, but Mark ignores her.

"Lexie dowsed me in beer and threatened to light me on fire."

"What? You're kidding right? She's Lexie, Lexie wouldn't do that. She'd make a scrap book of pictures with your head cut off, but she wouldn't light you on fire."

Mark storms over to the living area clearly expecting me to follow behind while Arizona looks on in wonder.

"Wait, how exactly did you get in Mark?" she tries again, still no response.

Mark is pacing frantically in the living-room totally unsure of what to do. His brow is furrowed and his chest is pounding and for a second I'm glad Arizona is too sick to leave the bedroom because I kinda like what I see.

"Ok Mark, slow down tell me what happened."

He pauses to think before he tells me what happened. I'm sure he's doing some mental editing.

"We were eating dinner and she freaked out on me. She thinks I'm just filling my time with her until I find someone better."

"So fast-forward to the part where you get called a nasty man-whore and she starts tossing alcohol"

"She did not call me a nasty man-whore." He insists. I give him a look of disbelief that he shakes off without a second thought.

"The point is I went in for a hug and down came the beer."

"Why do I feel like I'm not getting the full effect of this story?"

"Because you're not!" Lexie booms as she storms in to the room.

For the life of me I can't figure out how my apartment turned in to ground zero for people with relationship problems, but the fact still remains that Lexie and Mark are actually in my place hashing it out as if nothing at all is wrong with that.

"You start talking about her during sex and then you come over here to get her advice about it, Oh that's just brilliant!"

"You were talking about me during sex? Mark, that is so not good."

"I made one little comment."

"Which was what?" Arizona demands between sniffles as she walks up from behind me.

Now all three of us are staring in Mark's direction either looking at him in disbelief or disgust. I grab hold of Arizona half to reassure her, but also to keep her steady cause she looks woozy.

"Callie I really thought you'd have my side on this."

"I don't even know what your side is Mark"

Lexie starts crying in one of those pouty little girl ways that makes me wanna hurl.

"I made a comparison, it was supposed to be a compliment"

"Was it the toe thing, cause you were so right about that." Arizona chimes in coughing as she gets her words out.

"What's wrong with your girlfriend?" Mark asks in a state of oblivion

"She's sick you ass." Lexie and I both retort.

"So I may have mentioned that Torres isn't as flexible."

"He said you bite more than you bend." Lexie corrects.

I take a minute to ponder what that could possibly mean but give up after it dawns on me that we are talking to Mark Sloan. I run my hand through Arizona's blonde curls give her a peck on the forehead. I can tell from the kiss her temperature has skyrocketed and my only thought is to get them out of my apartment so Arizona can get some sleep. But, they are insistent on staying until this whole matter is resolved. Arizona's got a hand snaked around my hip and she brushes it up and down massaging my side. Lexie looks on admiring the affection, but then quickly changes her expression.

"Dr. Torres. I mean I should call you that right? Instead of Callie? Unless we were having a friendly conversation which I don't think this is. So like I said Dr. Torres I think Mark is in love with you"

"What?" We all shout in unison letting her words float in the air. Arizona starts to cry softly, but she buries her head in my shoulder so that no one else can tell. I hear thunder outside and I'm not surprised; blue skies can only last so long in this place. I continue running my fingers through Arizona's blonde curls as we all wait for Mark to respond to the sudden accusation. But he didn't respond he just stood there looking pathetic, trying to figure out a way to get out of the whole he dug for himself. Finally he musters up the courage to speak.

"Lex, how could you say that? I love you; I'm in love with you. Hell I even asked you to move in with me."

Lexie looks at him coldly clearly that wasn't the response she was hoping for.

"What? You don't believe me?" Mark asks concerned.

"No, I do. It's just that I never said you didn't love me."

We all wait again for Mark to deny it, but he doesn't he just stands there with his hands on his head. Arizona lifts her head and clears her throat to speak. I try to tell her it's not necessary but she insists and she's a bit of a stubborn woman.

"You two…" A fit of sneezing follows before she can finish her statement.

"You two cannot …be friends anymore" she finishes with a head ratteling sneeze that scares me a little bit.

"Should she get back to bed?" Lexie asks with genuine concern.

"Yeah, um you two should probably go talk this out across the hall." I suggest.

Lexie and Mark leave and I drag Arizona off to the bedroom making sure she is as comfy as possible. She falls asleep with her arms wrapped around me, but I can't sleep because I can't shut my mind off. A few hours later she groans in her sleep.

"Callie are you still awake?" She asks with sleep in her voice.

"Yep."

"Do you know how Mark got in here?" She asks still half asleep.

"I don't have a clue." I admit.

"Callie, get some sleep ok. I'm not mad about anything." All I can do is lie there thinking…

* * *

**Please Review**. A big thank you to those who are reading. I really enjoy your comments. Did I shock you? was it too over the top? Do you wish Arizona would've used some air-born?


	8. Devil With a Blue Dress On

**AN: **A happy chapter because major drams goes down in the next one.

* * *

The week that followed at work was like a week from hell. Arizona never explicitly told me to avoid Mark but I got the message after the first time he tried to sit with me in the cafeteria and she started paging me 911 for imaginary consults. Lexie was no better, She'd decided to try and work things out with Mark equating last week's mishap to her obsession with George. Despite being a little thrown aback by the idea of me being the George in their relationship I knew it was best for all involved if things just went back to normal. Unfortunately, this week Bette Porter was back in town and this time she brought a friend. So as I was saying, it truly did look to be a week from hell.

It wasn't so much that Bette brought a friend as it was the friend she brought. Walking down the corridor are two of God's most beautifully crafted legs sitting on top of three inch heels. She's wearing one of those suits that does everything but look professional, the kind that's made for being ripped off. I've never been intimidated by beauty, but this woman…she was something else. She had long wavy hair that fell to the middle of her back and swayed in rhythm with every step. And when she looked at me, those eyes were piercing and… OH MY GOD I know those eyes. I duck behind the nurse's station to try and hide from her, but it's no use I'd been spotted.

"Callie Torres, you sneaky little fox."

"Oh I'm not sneaking, I'm right here" I say peeking my head up from behind the counter.

"Kelly how…how are you?" She's about to respond when Bette interjects

"Excuse me, you two know each other?"

"Yeah we um we were at the same school for a while post-grad and Callie dated my brother."

I gave Kelly a look that let her know to end the story there and I was grateful that she did because Arizona walked up right as she was finishing. There was so much more to that story, so much more to Kelly Wentworth than I had time or energy to explain. It donned on me that I was just mere inches away from at least three people I had or was having an intimate relationship with; although, in Kelly's case, it was less of a relationship and more of a codependent friendship. Arizona whispered in my ear that I should get back to work; she said it with a hint of authority in her voice to let me know she wasn't really asking. I got the message and made my excuses as I padded away back to my files. I wonder how much Arizona had picked up on.

At this point I would give anything to be anyone else. My life is a mess and I would rather burry my head in the sand than deal with the impending shit-storm that is about to fall on me. My father hasn't spoken to me in ages, my ex-husband got hit by a bus and died, my best friend is in love with me, my girlfriend's ex-mistress keeps popping up like a dandelion in the summer, and now Kelly Wentworth is back in my life if only temporarily. I think about what my life could be like if I'd switched places with Cristina. Owen's a decent looker, and I've had a few sparing matches so I know how to throw down if need be. But then there are the mushy declarations and side glances, and the hand holding and stuff from a Victorian romance novel. Callie Torres does not do Victorian romance novels.

I decide then and there to just shut my brain off and deal with my problems. The first thing I do is find Arizona who's in the OR 3 scrub room prepping for a surgery.

"We're having dinner with them." I declare to a stunned Arizona.

"We're having dinner with who Calliope?"

"Um, Bette and Kelly. We're supposed to be open and tell each other everything so yeah, dinner tonight at La Tasse Rouge."

Arizona opens her mouth to object but I cut her off with a quick peck on the lips.

"trust me" I remind her as I walk out of the room.

* * *

Back at my place we've hit a bump in the road as Arizona continues to protest the whole arrangement. She's come up with excuse after excuse not to show up to the dinner, and no matter how much I reassure her she doesn't seem to budge. She bites down on her bottom lip and pulls her hair into her comfy pony-tail. She had a comfy-pony that I always teased her about because it was how I could tell if we were going to have sex or not. She looked up at me with those soft blue eyes almost pleading to just stay in for tonight.

"Why don't you want to go? It'll be fine, besides it's not like I slept with her."

"Oh that was low Callie, got anymore great ideas? Maybe while we're at it we can pop in across the hall and have a chit-chat with Mark over an aperitif"

"Maybe we should." I spout off not realizing the tone of my voice has escalated. I watch Arizona's big blue eyes as they almost shoot out of her head in shock. She starts up her silent crying again and I begin to laugh. The whole situation is absolutely the most ridiculous thing anyone could ever put themselves through. She cries even more and I can't help but laugh harder as I move over to give her a comforting hug.

"You know what I think the problem is?" I ask trying to calm things down.

"No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me."

"You don't trust me very much right now do you?"

Arizona lifts her head and looks at me as if to say that it's the most ridiculous thing she's ever hear of.

"You haven't done anything, it was me, I cheated. And Mark is across the hall all love drunk on you and Kelly Wentworth, and I cheated so why are you still here?"

She looks so vulnerable. I've never really been good with words and I search my brain to find something that will put her mind at ease. When I find it I'm shocked I never said it to her before, but it's the truest thing and the most accurate thing I can think of.

"I'm here because you were there for me, because I want to be here with you and because I uh…" I have to pause for a while and think about the last person I said this to. I think about how George froze up on me and how he didn't want to say it back. I think about how hurt I was and not wanting to feel that way again. If I say this, if I give her this piece of me I need to know she won't mishandle it the way George did. So for a minute I change my mind and decide to change the subject, but when I see that hopeful look in her eyes I know she wants to hear me say it.

"I'm here because I love you. I love that you're in love with children, I love that you doodle on your patient notes, I love that you're not above crying to get your way, and I love…"

Arizona cuts me off with a soft kiss. It's passionate but over sooner than I would have liked.

"Where are you going?" I ask as I watch Arizona saunter off to the bathroom.

"Well I've got to get ready if we're going to make it to this dinner on time" She says with just a little too much giddy excitement.

Twenty minutes later she's out of the bathroom in what I think is a red dress, but I wouldn't know since she's more naked than she is dressed. She looks amazing, and it takes every bit of my self control to keep from biting in to the juicy red apple she is offering up.

"You are not going out in that." I inform Arizona who only pretends to be shocked.

"Why? I thought you liked it." She says in reference to the time I made her dinner on the roof for her birthday and she wore it then. We didn't even get half way through the main course before heading back to her place. But this was different and she was not going to wear that dress even if I had to rip it off of her. I shake my head in defiance and walk over to my room with her to help her pick out another outfit. She started keeping some of her things here a while ago and now her clothes take up almost half my closet space. I pull out a respectable looking black dress and offer it up to her, but she refuses saying that she wore it to her grandma's funeral. I then pull out a nice blue affair that is just the right amount of professional sexy and watch as Arizona shimmies her way out of one dress and in to the other. She's nearly finished and asks me to come help zip her up. This however was just a ruse to get me close enough for her to kiss me again. It gets a little hot and heavy before I realize we're already running late and pull away.

"We should get going." I explain.

"Yeah I guess we should" Arizona agrees.

As we head for the door she stops me mid way.

"Callie…"

"yeah?"

"I love you too." She says with a bashful blush sweeping across her face as she lights up the room with the most innocent smile I've seen in ages.

* * *

**Please Review**. A big thank you to those who are reading. I really enjoy your comments. Finally the ILY chapter is done :) it took me a while to work it out.


	9. I'm in Love With a Stripper

**AN: **This chapter is set in the past while Callie is in med school

* * *

I was twenty-three the last time I spoke to Kelly Wentworth. The last thing we ever said to each other was "We'll still be friends" but that was just semantics. It didn't really mean anything, just a bunch of words strung together in a certain order. It was the sort of thing you tell a buddy when he or she is moving away because you know they will forget, you know their mind is so clouded with so many other more important things that it really doesn't matter what you say. The circumstances for us were not much different; she was moving away and I was staying, I'd just ended things with her pig headed brother and she was moving to Vegas to find herself.

Her brother was the owner of a high-class gentleman's room called The Cheetah Club. When I first arrived on campus I would spend all my free time reading and making notes in the library. Sometimes I fell asleep with my head smack in the middle of a book and I'd wake up the next morning with page indentations on my face wondering why I was still there. I never really got along with any of the girls in my med school class. So when they would all be out doing a bar crawl I'd just hang out at the library or go home and hang out with my siblings. Then one day I was cramming for a midterm and fell asleep like always, but this time someone tapped me on the shoulder. I looked up startled to find Kelly staring down at me.

"I don't mean to bother you, but I thought you could use a coffee. My name's Kelly I work in the back room but um… I see you here a lot."

I remember being too groggy to speak and simultaneously taking the coffee while smiling a thank you. Kelly had one of those big bright smiles that made you think you could trust her, if I'd known the level of crazy that was behind that smile it would have saved me a lot of trouble. The woman was a virtual Cheshire Cat. She swept her long strawberry blond locks over her shoulder and invited herself to sit down.

"I hope you don't mind, it's just that I'm on break and you look like you need one um…" She postures as if to suggest that I should offer my name.

"Callie, it's Callie. And thanks for the coffee by the way it's perfect." It really was the perfect coffee with two sugars, one cream, and a shot of mint. I guess I should have found that odd, but I was absolutely tired and had no energy left to process things. She had this weird tone to her voice, she always sounded as if she were going to giggle or laugh at any moment. So when she asked me what I did for fun I assumed she was mocking me.

"I do have a life, it's been temporarily suspended at the moment, but it's a great life."

She smiled at the thought of this and waved me off as if it was so absurd she couldn't possibly see it as true.

"When's the last time you went out Callie?" she asked placing her hand on top of mine. It was 1999 and a much more innocent time for me so when a girl put her hand on top of mine sexual advances were the last thing on my mind.

"I get off in three hours, If you want to have some fun you can come with me."

"Look you seem great and all, but uh I don't know you like that so…"

"Before you turn me down how about I show you where I'm going."

She hops on to my lap-top and pulls up the website of a strip club.

"A strip joint? Why on earth would you want to go there?"

"Well A. because it's Sunday and we close in three hours so I have to get you out of here somehow and B. because to tell the truth I haven't gone out in a while either."

That's all it took for me to say yes and I think it's maybe because I was already admitting how miserable my life was. Strip club would just be one less item on my bucket list. She walked away after that and headed back toward the rare books section. Sitting there at my table all I could do was wonder what the hell I had gotten myself in to. Time passes by and I don't seem to be making any head-way in my studies. Before I know it a robotic voice comes across the P.A system to alert me that the library will be closing in 15 minutes. Then Kelly comes out of the back room to meet me.

"So, are you coming?" She asks with that same smile on her face as she had when she gave me the coffee.

"You don't have to, but I really think you'll love it."

"No, no I've never been to a strip club so this should be entertaining"

"Gentleman's room." She corrects as I follow her out to the parking lot.

As it would turn out the _gentleman's room_ was closed, but Kelly already knew that seeing as she had the keys. She explained that her brother owned the place and sometimes let her hang out there after work. Although I was a bit disappointed at the idea of not getting to fold a bill into a scantily clad woman's g-string, I was majorly relieved to not be surrounded by grimy old perverts.

The club was painted red and white with two white poles on either end of the sage and a silver pole in the center of catwalk that glittered in the light. The bar was in the south west corner of the club and it was stocked to perfection. Kelly jumped behind it and started mixing drinks.

"You can take your books out and study, club doesn't open for another 12 hours"

"Mmm if you want I can quiz you. How about every time you're wrong you take a shot"

"Ha I'd be plastered before we even got through half this crap. The last thing I need is to try and take an exam with a massive hangover."

Kelly took her jacket off and pored herself a glass of whatever drink she'd just concocted.

"Then how about every time you're wrong I take a shot?" she suggested.

"That, sounds like fun." I admit handing her my study cards.

Before long she's drunk off her ass and slurring the questions to the point of obscurity.

"a patient complains offffffff think discoloreded urince…"

"Wait, wait I think we better call it quits before you start complaining of thick discolored urine." I advise.

"That's so gross Cal, that's…why do they make you study this it's nasty. You should study art, like me."

She says this while twirling around like a ballerina on one of the polls.

We would meet up at The Cheetah Club every Sunday and before long we became close friends. After a while she introduced me to her brother Zack who was basically a really tall meat head with dreams of being a big name in the sleazy dance club industry. He was about to open a night club across the street from The Cheetah Club, but construction was halted because the city planning board was demanding he give them a name for his business and all he could come up with was The Cheetah Club 2. One night while out on lunch together the three of us were brainstorming when I suddenly blurted out "How about Johnny Boz"

Dead silence fell over the table and then Zack cracked up laughing. We both join in the laughter leaving Kelly sitting there totally out of the loop.

"That does give me an idea though, how about Cub Vertigo?" Zack suggests

"Ooh Hitchcock, I like the way your mind works" I say showing my approval

I guess he wasn't a complete meat head after all. Three months later they were nearly finished on construction for Club Vertigo and Zack and I were officially a couple.

* * *

One night about a year later I woke up in Zack's arms to the sound of Kelly crying. It was a rare cold Florida day and I had to find a sweater to put over my PJs before I wandered over to the kitchen. There I found Kelly crying her eyes out over a bowl of ice-cream. She tried to hide her tears when she saw me coming but it was too late, even if I hadn't seen her tears, that sad puppy look would have given it away. I pull up a stool next to hers and just wait for her to spill the beans. After she's nearly reached the bottom of her ice-cream bowl she finally fesses up.

"So I was looking for my brother's caffeine pills and guess what I found?" she asks as she simultaneously shows me a black ring box. I open it to find a beautiful chocolate diamond engagement ring with silver pearl center and a white gold band. It was absolutely breath taking.

"Read the inscription." Kelly continued and I followed her instruction.

On the inside of the band the words **_2 Callie yours 4ever Johnny Boz._** It was for me, Zack was planning on proposing to me, and for whatever reason it was making Kelly cry.

"Are you ok ?" I ask with genuine concern in my voice

"Yeah." Kelly lies.

"It's just so beautiful Cal, I'm so happy for you"

"Oh my god please don't tell me you're one those cry when you're happy type of people"

"I'll stop crying it's fine I promise, I'm just so excited for you." I could tell she was lying but I ignored it and happily let her put the ring on my finger. We start jumping around like school girls singing "Going to the Chapel" and making crazy wedding plans. That ring really did look great on my finger and I was so caught up in admiration of it that I didn't even notice Zack had come down for breakfast. He looked so angry, I'd never seen him that way. I went over to him to try and explain but he wasn't listening he grabbed me by the hand and yanked the ring off my finger.

"I was supposed to do the whole helicopter ride down on one knee deal" he announced

"I'm sorry sweet heart, I'll put it back in the box and…"

As I reach for the ring box he grabs it and chucks it across the room. Kelly looks totally confused and just sits there for a second trying to figure out what's going on. By now he's got me by both arms and he's holding on tight

"Hey Zack it wasn't Callie who found the ring, if you wanna blame someone look at me, blame me ok." Kelly looks at her brother begging him to relax.

He finally snaps out of it and apologizes profusely. He's got the same strawberry blond hair as his sister but he wears it in a spiky Jersey type do. As he runs his hand through his perfectly quaffed mane he tries to explain himself. He says he's just been really stressed about proposing to me and worried I wouldn't think he was good enough. I should have known better then, but I didn't so I just went with it. He proposed again that night and slipped the ring back on to my finger. It really was a beautiful ring, the kind of ring capable of making a girl forget how crappy her day had been, or that her boyfriend was a complete douche.

It seemed like the further along Zack and I got in the wedding plans the more passive aggressive Kelly would become. I'd go to meet up with her on Sunday and she'd text me saying she couldn't make it cause she had other things to do. When I tried to find her a date for the wedding she told me to stay out of her love life. Then it happened; two weeks before the wedding I found Kelly passed out in the club in a pool of her own vomit.

"Hey Kels are you ok? Can you hear me?" I ask while checking her neck for a pulse.

I find one, but it's weak and I'm not sure if she'll make it long without medical attention. I call for an ambulance and do my best to administer CPR while I wait. Her skin is completely flush and she remains non-responsive as I continue my effort to breathe life into her.

Her brother arrives at the hospital only moments after we do, she's come to by then and is spinning a story bigger than Charlotte's Web. I start to get the feeling that her brother may know a little more about this than I do and when Zack asks me to leave the room so that he can speak to Kelly alone my suspicions are confirmed. I don't need to be in the room to be able to tell they are yelling at each other. Zack pounds his fist on a bedside table and yells something else before storming out of the room.

"She needs to go to rehab Cal, she's got a serious problem." He says.

"I know." I agree as I take his hand. Zack starts to kick his feet around and hesitate as if he's unsure of what to say.

"I don't think she should be in the wedding." He finally fesses up.

"She's my best friend Zack, she's the maid of honor for crying out loud" I protest, but Zack won't hear any of it. He slams the wall leaving an indentation.

"Damn it Callie there isn't gonna be a wedding if you wait on her to get better."

"What?" I ask in shock.

"Don't you see it Cal, she doesn't want us to get married. She's in the type of misery that loves company and if you get married she'll be all alone again." He gives me a quick peck on the cheek and walks off to find some food.

"She's not going to be in the wedding" he asserts as he sulks off.

The sad thing is I was going to go along with it, I was going to ship my best friend off to rehab and get married without her all because of what this meat headed man with anger issues had told me, but the night before the wedding I got a mysterious envelope in the mail. I opened it to find mug-shots and police reports stating that Zack had two priors on his record for domestic violence and drug trafficking. It turns out he raised the money for Club Vertigo by selling drugs out of the back room at The Cheetah Club. I don't even remember what the hastily written note I left him said, but I do remember that it was full of expletives and not very nice at all. I went 100 miles away to my parent's place and stayed there until things calmed down. It took my father three of the five months I was there to even talk to me; he really liked Zack. I started to hear through the grapevine that Zack sold off his clubs to a competitor and moved to New York so after five months of sulking I went back not knowing what I would find.

The first person I went looking for was Kelly. She told me she was just out of rehab and sober, but I just didn't believe her, at least not the sober part. We tried to start things back up but it was so hard, every time we went out she wanted a drink and if I tried to hold her back she got loud about it. Eventually we just stopped talking all together and then she told me she was moving to Vegas.

* * *

Arizona listened to the whole story attentively as we drove the twenty minute ride to La Tasse Rouge. There were moments when she looked shocked, moments when she was on the verge of tears, and moments when she looked like she might die of laughter. When I finished she looked up at me with bright eyes and softly began her questions.

"You were engaged before George?"

"Just to Zack, and it was a huge mistake."

"Then why didn't you tell me about it?"

"I don't know, I guess I blocked it out."

"I can understand that." Arizona comforted me with a little too much familiarity in her voice. It made me wonder what kind of skeletons I should expect out of her closet. As we pulled in to the parking lot she gazed over at me from the passenger side and smiled confidently.

"It's going to be ok Calliope." She reassured me. And I actually believed it this time, with her things could definitely be ok.

* * *

**Please Review**. A big thank you to those who are reading. I really enjoy your comments. I love allusions, sorry if there's an overload in this chapter.


	10. Trouble is a Friend

**AN: **I wasn't going to upload this cause of everyone's reaction, or lack there of to last chapter. But I'm in a bad mood and kinda in a dark place right now. I figured it would cheer me up. So with out further delay, chapter 10. P.S everything in this chapter is for a reason. I promise amazing things for the next couple chapters

* * *

I'm sitting at a dinner table with a crazy woman and a whore. I'm sitting at this table with my sexy girlfriend who won't stop making eyes or playing footsy under the table. Meanwhile all I can think about, other than my hot girlfriend of course, is the fact that Kelly Wentworth is sitting right next to me drinking a glass of wine. What the hell is she doing drinking anything other than water. The doctor in me is majorly concerned for the state of her liver and kidneys. We exchange pleasantries and discuss the weather and Kelly is still drinking like a fish. Arizona has managed to sneak her leg up to the middle of my thigh. She likes to do this when she thinks no one is looking, just to see if I'll lose my composure but I never do. I just save up whatever I am feeling for the return trip and she knows it, I guess either way she wins though.

"So Kelly, you and Bette are working together?" Arizona implores trying to move things along.

"Yeah, I'm really more of a silent partner. I came in to some money a few years ago and I've been buying out collections ever since."

"I've seen some of your collections in Vancouver; very impressive." I add.

Kelly looks earnestly surprised and touched that I was at her Vancouver opening. The truth is I had no idea she would be there. It was a while ago when George took me on one of his families hunting trips and since neither one of us like the woods we skipped out and went into town.

"Well we're just in town to sign off on the project. We should be gone for good at the end of the week" Bette informs us.

The whole time we've been talking I don't think Arizona has made eye contact with anyone but me, which is made even more obvious by the fact that Bette keeps staring in her direction for a reaction. The waiter comes by to check on our table and Kelly raises her glass to ask for a refill. However, before she can get the waiter's attention Arizona grabs him by the arm.

"Could we have a pitcher of Perrier for the table please?"

"Oh absolutely Ms. Robbins, I'll be back shortly" He complies

I mouth a thank you to her but then look on in shock as I realize the waiter called her by name.

"You're known here?" I ask.

"I'm not surprised" Bette quips, "Arizona used to take all her dates to fancy restaurants before she sealed the deal."

That last little comment finally broke Arizona's concentration and she looked over at Bette with enough disdain to kill a bull dog. Her leg was still working it's way between my thighs but now her eyes were fixed on Bette Porter.

"I thought it might be nice if we all got a chance to catch up and bury the hatchet" I announce ignoring the staring match that is going on in front of me.

Kelly, in an earnest attempt to help my efforts along tries to change the subject, unfortunately I forgot how inappropriate she can be at times.

"So Callie I see you date women now, how is that?"

The table falls deadly silent as we all stare at her as if she's grown a second head. Then for reasons unknown to me I just start laughing. It's absolutely the dumbest question she could have asked and she had to know it was. But at the same time it was clearly her big pink elephant and she looked like she would die if she didn't get it out of her system. We all share a laugh and things calm down temporarily.

"Actually it's amazing, you should try it some time."

"But not with me obviously." Arizona adds

"Oh I did" Kelly confesses looking in Bette's direction "She turned me down, that there woman is not for sale" Kelly finishes doing her best impersonation of a hick car sales man.

So the dinner goes along just fine. Everyone is catching up and playing six degrees which is how I find out that I actually know Tina Kennard. We met in the peace corps while she was shooting a documentary. I never would imagine Bette with a woman like Tina, long story short they are two power bitches which to me is recipe for disaster. It makes me even more elated to be with Arizona because I think we've perfected the art of give and take. Everything is running smoothly except that Arizona is no massaging a very sensitive area of my body with the tip of her toe which would normally be fine, except that my cell phone which is on my hip and set to vibrate keeps going off. All the while she keeps talking about the food as if nothing at all is happening. Eventually I have to excuse myself to go to the little girl's room, which is a first for me. Arizona gives me a knowing wink as she watches me prance off to the restroom.

After splashing myself in the face with cold water about a dozen times I pull my cell phone out to see who's bugging me and surprise of surprises it's Mark with such gems as:

"Torres we should meet up"

"I hear your going on a double date, sounds like hot girl on girl sexy time J"

"Tell Arizona Lexie really likes that blue dress she's rocking"

Or my personal favorite "Torres I can totally tell what knda action you got going on under that table :P

you've got major :O face."

Oh My God. Mark was in the restaurant. Mark was in the restaurant with Lexie. This really wouldn't have been that big a deal if it hadn't been for the fact that he was also sending me instant messages on my web account under the username charmed2620. This whole us not being friends thing was driving him up a wall, but I guess it didn't bother me that much. Until he learned to get his act together I was perfectly happy ignoring all his shenanigans. But, I couldn't leave him with the satisfaction of having gotten me to the restroom, so I sent him an angry text reply.

"I only had major :-O face cause of you and your stupid messages, and now I'm in the bathroom cause of you. Why don't you keep your eyes on your girlfriend and not on my table."

Before I could even get to the door he text back a reply

"I always knew you needed me to get off :P"

This eventually turned in to a texting war with the both of us shooting messages back and forth. I guess I must have lost track of the time too because Arizona waltzed in suddenly calling for me. She was surprised to see me there finishing another text message.

"Callie what's going on? I've been sitting there with Barbie and Skipper for about fifteen minutes"

She tries to sneak a peek at my phone, and when I try to hide it from her she grabs it away from me. There isn't a god I can pray to at this point to save me from this situation. She's a woman on a mission now and that means I'm never going to see my cell again. She skims through the messages making a few casual grunts, ooh's, and ahs. Then when she's finished she grabs my hand and walks with me out of the restroom in search of Mark's table.

"Arizona I really don't think we should make a scene."

"I'm not gonna make a scene I just want to talk to him."

I really don't believe her because she pretty much sounds like a mad woman at this point.

"Arizona I am sorry, I'll change my number if you want. But, let's just go sit down ok."

"I just want to talk to him Callie." She repeats.

But when we get to the table she doesn't do much talking.

"Hey Torres fancy seeing you here" Mark says slyly giving me a wink. He then turns to greet Arizona but before he can get a word out Arizona takes the back of her left hand smacks him across the face with it leaving an embarrassingly red mark on his face.

"Did you just pimp slap my boyfriend" Lexie asks in shock.

"Mark stop being a perv!" Arizona demands as she walks away back to our table. All I can do is mouth a quick sorry before quickly following behind her.

Back at our table things didn't get much better. Kelly managed to get what looked like four more glasses of wine after our waiter's shift ran out so now she was an uncontrollable mess. The good news is that Bette and I had come to an understanding, not to say that I would ever trust her around Arizona or anyone for that matter, but I saw no need to go on being hostile toward the woman. She missed her kids and apparently her and Tina are like the Romeo and Juliet of lesbian couples. Bette was busy explaining that her daughter just turned four and she was going to be in a big Christmas production and Arizona's eyes lit up at the thought of children at Christmas.

I was a bit frightened by this to tell the truth. I do love that Arizona loves kids, but I don't know how ready I am for that. The last time I handled a baby was at my cousin's anniversary party and that ended with lots of drool on my face and regurgitated peas so it was definitely something I didn't care to repeat any time soon. But the way she looked with her eyes so wide and that excited smile she gets when she's really happy, it made my heart melt. Arizona caught a glimps of my mild trepidation out of the corner of her eye.

"Calliope, something wrong?"

"Calliope?" Kelly questions

"don't." I warn her.

"Well anyway Callie is horrible with kids."

Arizona looks shocked and Kelly, who doesn't have her wits about her in the slightest, just keeps right on talking.

"Oh it's not like she hates them, she loves kids. They just can't stand her. I remember this one time in Rio when we went for a summer volunteer program. She picked up this little orphan baby that was crying"

Everyone at the table looks intrigued, but I know exactly where this story is going and I do my best to stop Kelly in her tracks.

"Hey, don't you think it's getting late? We should get going" as I gesture for the bill from our waiter. But Arizona is too fascinated.

"No, I think I want to hear this"

"Oh you want to hear it" Kelly continues.

"So here she is with this poor little orphan and the kid's starving as all get out so Callie tries to feed him a bottle. Only problem is the first thing the kid saw when Callie bent over to pick him up." She makes a motion pointing at her left and right boobs.

"And she keeps trying to get him on the bottle, but he's clawing away at her chest trying to get milk out of lefty and righty. It took three volunteers to get the kid off of her. After that everyone started calling her Leche as a joke."

I was a little upset, but I can take a joke in stride so I was going to let her slide but Kelly just kept going with her drunken rant. Story after story rattled off as if we were Huck Fin and Tom Sawyer. I became increasingly agitated because I knew the truth behind that smile of hers and it seemed that she hadn't changed much at all.

"How'd you come in to that money Kelly" I snapped at her. Her expression changed in a nanosecond as if she were suddenly struck with grief.

"I was um…I was married but he died" A fact I already knew, but I got some sort of sick pleasure out of watching her relive it.

"Oh Callie I heard your husband died too…" she retorted suddenly turning a steely cold.

"Right well I guess that's one more thing we have in common. How's Zack by the way?"

Arizona grabbed my hand from under the table as her subtle way of saying I had crossed a line. I wanted to apologize I truly did. But before I could get a word out Kelly stood up and tossed a glass full of red wine in my face.

"You ruined my family you stupid bitch!" was all she could manage before Bette grabbed her and forcefully sat her back in her chair.

Arizona was busy trying to take care of the bill while I just sat there in awe. What could Kelly have meant by that? What was there for me to ruin anyway? Her and her brother were a mess long before I ever met them. I assumed she was talking about the wedding that never happened.

"You and I were supposed to be like sisters and then you just left" she continued, her voice a bit calmer this time.

"If you want to blame someone blame whoever sent me that police record, but the truth is Zack and I never would have worked" I try to console her.

But she looks off in the distance unmoved by any of my words. Arizona gives me a look that says it's time to go and Bette assures us she will make sure Kelly gets back safely. Then as we're leaving the table I get it, the answer to a question I've been wondering for so long now.

"I sent the damn police record." Kelly admits. "You were supposed to leave him not me. He was trying to take you away from me."

I thought I had attachment issues but seriously, this girl wrote the book on the subject. I turn to say something but Bette waves me off and I just have to trust that she would take care of things.

I start to drive back to my place, but I suddenly have an idea.

"Why don't we go to your place tonight?" I suggest

"Why would you want to go there?" Arizona asks in a kind of blank state.

"Because you live alone where no one can hear you scream." I say with a soft giggle.

"I really don't know if you mean that in a good way or a bad way, but for the sake of fun I'll assume the former so yay! Let's do it. And by it I mean go to my place not "It" it which I am also hoping…"

I shut her up with a quick peck on the lips.

* * *

**I hope someone's still reading, it would be nice to know I'm doing something right. Ok sorry for the doom and gloom I just lost out on a job, I'll get over it though, happy reading y'all. :) **


	11. Stay

**AN: **Sorry for the rant last chap. As a thank you I wrote this one, it's got my best attempt at smut in there cause I think the show doesn't show enough between them. Hope you enjoy it, but if you don't like smut just skip down to the paragraph that starts with "Twenty minutes later".

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"Don't you want to talk about it?" Arizona asks in between heavy gasps for air as she reaches for the door to her house. I break our kiss to respond with a quick "nope" before pulling her in for another impassioned kiss. She tries to pull away but I suck down on her bottom lip and we fall into the foyer crashing into a wall as I kick the door closed behind me. Propping Arizona up against the wall facing backwards, I begin to unzip her dress while simultaneously kissing the nape of her neck. She's completely flustered and I can feel it as she shakes like a leaf in front of me.

I spin her around giving her dress one hard yank and watch it fall to the floor in a blue pool beneath her. She looks stunned now, but quickly takes my hand and traces it across her small frame. We kiss again and this time she's controlling the kiss and we don't break apart even as we clumsily saunter off to her bedroom. I begin pulling my top off relishing in the sensation of our two bodies in full skin to skin contact. As we reach the bed she pulls away again with a look in her eyes like a lioness ready to pounce on me.

"Please tell me this is sexy sex and not I'm Calliope and I'm avoiding my issues sex." She pleads before coming in for another kiss.

"Because I'm so very close to not being able to stop myself and I really need to know…"

I pull off the rest of my outfit and begin kissing, sucking, and biting down Arizona's side.

"Does it really matter?" I ask kind of devilishly.

"Oh…no, not anymore" comes Arizona's faint reply as I skillfully remove her panties and move her on to the bed. I take my time watching her desire build into a beautiful crescendo. Her back arches as her body involuntarily offers itself up to my mouth. She finally releases herself in a rabid explosion of relief and then falls meekly onto the bed. As she laying there still in recovery I trace up her thigh with my pinky toe and watch her body shiver even more at the sensitive contact.

"Wow that was…um" Arizona is at a loss for words

"Yeah, I know" I smile back at her

"Oh you cocky little minx" she replies while rolling over so that she's straddling me by the hips.

I love the fact that she still uses expressions from the Leave It to Beaver show. It makes me giggle inside when she says things like "Dollars to doughnuts" or "Up a creek without a paddle" and I can't help but chuckle a little bit at the idea of being a "cocky little minx." She kisses me softly and repetitively the breaks to look directly into my eyes as her hand trails its way down to my center. A sly grin sweeps across her face. I might be a minx to her but at times she could be her own little devil.

Twenty minutes later we're lying in bed together just doing the standard after sex cuddle when Arizona suddenly perks up as if she'd been delivered a message by god him (or her) self. She turns to me with that look in her eyes that I've grown to both love and fear. I knew this meant another crazy rant which would lead to another crazy idea from Arizona, but she had me at the perfect moment and she knew it too. It's become quite clear in our relationship that I have a wonderfully bad habit of agreeing to almost anything she wants just after sex. That's how we ended up going to Chuck E. Cheese's for my birth day; it's also how I ended up almost getting cited by the cops for shoving the guy in the rat costume. One time she had an idea to have me clear out a drawer for her in my wardrobe, that turned in to the entire wardrobe and half my closet space. So naturally, I couldn't wait to see what I had gotten myself in to.

"I think it's pretty darn obvious Calliope" she began, "That you're not going to win by protesting and really we could expedite this whole process if you just said yes right away"

"It would help if I knew what I was saying yes to Arizona" I inform her while walking over to her closet and pulling on one of her gray t-shirts. I see her out of the corner of my eye watching me as I walk.

"Enjoying the view." I tease her.

"That is not…" she pauses to watch me bend over "Calliope, I have a great idea and I think you're going to love it this time"

"Go ahead, I'm all ears." I say plopping back on to the bed.

She takes me by the hand and looks at me earnestly, the way a mother would before giving her daughter the talk.

"So we love each other right?" She doesn't give me time to respond so I assume it's a rhetorical question

"I love you, you love me, we're like this big love filled couply family, except…"

Oh no, I didn't dare to ask. My mind was filling in the blanks for me. It was like a bad episode of Match Game with Mipssy Russell and Betty White both giving the most outlandish answers.

"We live like 15 minutes apart and we don't need to"

"Oh yeah they are building those condos across the street from my place, were you thinking about buying?" I ask knowing full well that is not what she was referring to.

"No, Callie I do not want to buy a condo I have a very large, very nice place that would be even nicer if a certain someone would move in with me"

She looks to me for an answer to a question she never really completely asked, but all I can do is stare blankly at her in a vain attempt to avoid the question. I can see her eyes begin to water and I look in to them but all I can see is puffy rain clouds where her baby blues should be.

"Fine, you know what let's just go to sleep" she proclaims turning away from me.

"I didn't say I wouldn't do it" I try to console her.

"It's fine, you don't have to it was just an idea"

"But I never said I wouldn't." I insist. She still won't turn to face me.

"Let's just go to sleep ok, I'm really tired and I have an early morning thing."

Early morning thing my foot! I may not be super perceptive but I know when I'm being played and Arizona Robbins was the maestro in this case. I knew for a fact that she did not have to be in to work until late in the afternoon. However, to keep the ruse up she'd probably wake up at 5:30 in the morning and drive her car down to the hospital while spending the whole day shopping at the market down the street. I was determined not to fall for it this time, so instead of caving like I usually do when she pulls out the water works. I went to sleep.

* * *

The day that followed was rather uneventful, except for the whole Arizona ignoring me thing everything was basically routine. I was unfazed by the whole affair since I was the resident queen of ignoring people. If she wanted to ignore me I could ignore her right back. I didn't even react to her puppy dog eyes when she went to sit with the chief again at the cafeteria. Eventually Cristina came around because she was on Arizona's service and wanted me to "Fix it".

"So let me get this straight NuHahn is mad at you because you don't wanna move in with her?"

"First don't call her that it's creepy, and second I never said I wouldn't"

Cristina looks puzzled for a minute then she shakes her head as if she's trying to get back to her train of thought.

"Can I at least tell her you said ok, I mean it's not like you actually have to do it."

"Cristina!"

"She's got an enter-sexed reversal operation in two hours and I want in, so Yes or No?" she does this with her arms spread wide as if they were scales lifting one above the other.

Just then Mark walks over checking over his shoulder I assume to make sure Lexie doesn't see him. He's still got a bit of a bruise on his cheek from where Arizona slapped him but for some reason it seems to be enhancing his appeal.

"I should thank your girlfriend" He announces, "Thanks to her I've got three numbers in the past two hours"

"Mark you're dating Lexie." I remind him.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean my ego doesn't need to be stroked every now and then. Lex's ok with it, as long as I hand the digits over to her."

I can imagine Lexie would be ok with that. She probably uses them to keep track of all the nurses she should have her eye on.

"So is roller-derby girl still not talking to you? I can go apologize if you need." He offers

"Not gonna help, Callie's fucked up big time. I say move in with her no big deal to me." Cristina replies grabbing the apple off my tray as she walks away. Mark just sits there dumbfounded staring into his mac-and-cheese. I never thought the two of us would be in this position, but here we were two of the biggest commitment phobic people tied down to two sugary rainbow loving loonies, and I couldn't be happier about it if I wanted to.

"Wait, did she ask you to move in with her to get you away from me?" Mark asks putting a pensive wrinkle in his forehead.

"What? I don't know." I had never even thought about that. But before I could think any further on the issue I noticed Arizona staring straight past the chief at me and Mark. Mark must have seen it too because he grabbed his stuff and got up to leave.

"Torres, if I was you I'd do it, but you know you're going to have to find your own way" He said as he walked away to go find Lexie. I wish Arizona got to see that, then maybe she wouldn't be so angry with Mark all the time.

Later in the day I was working with Owen on a man whose hand got crushed at an assembly plant and I again made the mistake of rambling off to him. The guy wouldn't have been so bad off if he hadn't gone in to shock at the sight of his hand. Owen was working to keep his BP stable while I tried to repair what I could. In reconstructing his hand I ran in to a bit of trouble and had to deliver some bad news. The guy's thumb could be reattached, but it would most likely remain without sensation so I wondered if he would rather have it removed.

I've never seen a grown man cry so much over a decision like that, but in that moment he realized how much he loved his thumbs. He kept asking how he was supposed to be able to open a can of Pepsi without it. Owen and I decided it would be best to give him a little space to make the decision on his own so we waited out in the hall.

"You're not Mark" I start "But I can't talk to Mark so you'll have to do"

"Ok" Owen agreed with a nod of his head

"I don't know what to do about Arizona I mean she wants me to move in with her, and she wants an answer now. Only I don't have an answer right now and I don't know when I will" I pause to take a breath and he starts to say something but I accidentally cut him off.

"And I don't even know why she wants me to move in, I thought it was cause of the whole I love you Barney and friends thing, but what if she's just scared of my backup penis?"

Owen shakes his head in absolute confusion and disbelief. "This is how you talk to Mark?"

I nod and he knows that I'm serious.

"Well you'll never know the reason why, if it's love or a backup penis does it really matter? All that counts is your reason." He smiles at me and we look over to see our patient is ready to operate.

"Just one question though" he says holding the door open with the edge of his foot. I already know what it is and I answer instinctively.

"Mark, he was my backup before I met Arizona so now she's all freaked cause…"

"I got it Torres" he cuts me off.

On the walk out to my car after work I'm almost jovial, the kind of mood where nothing on earth could upset you. I know what I want now, Owen was right I needed my own reason and once I found it there was only one thing left to do.

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**So it's winding down now only a few chapters left I think. Let me know if I got the smut right, I didn't want it to be too dirty cause that seemed out of character.  
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	12. Two Princes

**AN: **this one kinda switches back and forth between Callie and Arizona's POV. I put notes in the story so hopefully no one gets confused.

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**Callie's POV**

Five days. In exactly five days Bette Porter and Kelly Wentworth would leave Seattle for good, and not that I didn't wish them well, but I was beginning to get antsy never knowing when to expect one of them to pop up around the corner. I woke up today like a happy little badger seeing my world with a whole new set of eyes and what I saw was good. I was on a big case this evening which I could totally rock out on, Arizona finally caved and started talking to me. Granted the only reason was because she couldn't go twenty four hours without telling someone about her day and I was the only listening ear available. A kid was mimicking wrestling moves and accidentally chocked his sister into a coma. She had to tell the family their daughter would probably not regain full brain function if she survived.

Arizona tilted her head onto my shoulder as we lay in the attending lounge area.

"The whole time he just kept crying about not wanting to go to jail. Then his parents, they told him it wasn't his fault. They blamed their own daughter."

We all get cases like this, usually once every other month or so. A patient comes in with their family or friends and despite what they are going through you just want to punch the jerk relatives in the face. I thought about Ruthie who's boyfriend just walked away guilt free after pressuring her to lose all that weight, and the bride-zilla I worked on with George. I know that I get angry; I know that I let it show, but somehow by day's end I always find a way to push past it. Arizona is a little different; it scars her internally to see people be so blindly selfish and hurtful toward each other. There's nothing I can do to fix that, so I just let her rest her head on my shoulder for a while. We don't have much time though, she has to be back in with the little girl to remove the surgical wire that was keeping her air passage open during surgery. She doesn't budge and I can tell by my watch she is running late.

"hey…babe" I say giving her a soft nudge.

"Callie stop moving I just got comfy." She whispers back

I give her a look that lets her know it's time to go which seems sufficient in getting her off her butt. Sitting upright now she looks at me earnestly, her big blue eyes batting like a little Precious-Moments doll.

"I can't go back there. What if I yell, Callie I'm not a yeller!" She looks at me pleadingly.

"Arizona no! I…I couldn't even if I wanted to there's nothing orthopedic about the case."

"Ohhh," she whines "but you're such a good screamer" Arizona protests

"I am not going to yell at a patient for you, no matter how icky they are being. Now just go, and I'll do that thing you like later on to cheer you up ok."

She smiles as we walk gleefully out the door half way down the hall I give her a kiss and a pat on the back before seeing her off. No later than she is in her patient's room does Mark snake around the corner behind me. He's got this look in his eye that tells me he knows something I don't want him to know and he's just taken the first bite out of a juicy red pear. He's definitely playing too closely with the whole fruit of a forbidden tree angle. But I endure him anyway; what can I say he's like a symbiotic parasite. (Ok I know that sounds bad, but I've been living with Cristina for a long time and according to her twisted doctor speak this is a good thing.) I guess she was right too, we do tend to feed off of each other.

"Mark, Arizona and Lexie both ordered us not to be around each other until you explained that little incident at my place" I warn him while looking around to make sure neither of our girlfriends are approaching.

"Oh come on, that childish little thing isn't going to last." He takes another bite from his pear.

"Besides," he adds "I want to know what thing Arizona likes that you are planning on doing. I thought I knew all your things."

I am infuriated at this moment, how had he heard me? Was he stalking me? Should I have taken this Mark thing a little more seriously? But I guess I can't blame him for all this. I've never been one for boundaries, neither of us have really. Over the years we've developed this sort of open relationship where any conversation is fair-game at any time and any place, but I was beginning to think maybe that needed to change.

"Mark there are some things you cannot know, and that is definitely one of them."

"but…" Before he can finish I get scared at the sight of one of the new interns whothat looks a lot like Lexie and dart away from him.

"Is it in Spanish?" he calls after me and I giggle at the desperation in his voice, my little man-whore is not so reformed after all.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

Lexie Grey was my resident today which was all sorts of happy news since she genuinely loves children, unlike a certain someone who is a bit too manipulative for my taste. She had to assist me in the surgery so she saw how mangled little Darcy's larynx was from the pressure her brother had exerted on it. She was there to place the surgical rod that would help keep Darcy's epiglottis from collapsing in on itself. She held her own the whole time, never once looking like she might lose composure or storm out of the room in some grandiose manner. That was the job though, the job where you're not allowed to feel for anything or anyone because patient care comes first. So when we both had to head back in to the patients room and put our smiles on I knew exactly what was behind hers and I'm sure she knew mine too.

I keep an eye on her parents as I remove the surgical rod making sure not to hide it from them. Parker, her older brother looks at the rod in wonder.

"Cool!" He exclaims completely aw struck. His parents respond with a soft chuckle

"Boys will be boys, right Dr. Grey" Eliot, the girls father, exclaims

His son just permanently altered the course of his daughter's life by effectively strangling her for a good three minutes. While his little girl lay there fighting for life he was tussling the boy's hair and grinning, as if to say this sort of misery was a birth right for women, as if his daughter weren't of the same blood as him. Lexie turned her back to the whole thing; she didn't want to believe what she was seeing and neither did I. But this was my job and today there was so much to do, so much that I didn't have time to even think about being angry. This was the hard part, harder than all the surgeries, harder than the swallowing of emotions; this was the part where I had to deliver the bad news.

"Mr. and Mrs. Booth If we could just speak with you for a moment" I begin while looking off to the side to make sure Hank and Aaron are in place. Lexie hears the cue in my voice and turns back around to help me explain things.

"It seems Darcy suffered a great deal of trauma, and regrettably given what your son Parker has admitted to…"

"Wait what are you trying to tell me?" Mrs. Booth interrupts, I pause to address her concern but Lexie continues the speech anyway.

"Seattle Grace Hospital policy is to contact social services in any case where abuse or neglect is suspected. We ask that you remain in the hospital away from the patient at this time."

The Booth's both look at us stunned, Mrs. Booth grabs on to Parker as if he were a life preserver and she were lost at sea. Now it's Lexie's turn to break she looks down at the floor to avoid direct eye contact.

"We have two security personnel ready to escort you to a waiting area until further notice."

With his eyes full of tears Mr. Booth looks up toward me as if to slice me open with x-ray vision.

"You're acting like we're criminals, they were just messing around. Parker can be a real handful sometimes, Darce knows that, but she's always trying to play with him anyway. You're not going to take my son away, they were just messing around."

I watch as both parents well up with tears and I wonder where those tears were when their daughter stopped breathing, or when her heart rate was so elevated during surgery we thought she might have a stroke on the table.

"They'll take Darcy too sir." Lexie declares shocking me and everyone else in the room.

"Should social services suspect anything, and I bet they will, they will take both of your children. You know that right? Your family includes that little girl, Darcy is your flesh and blood and they will take her away just as quickly as they take Parker."

I look outside toward the two burly mammoths of men standing at either side of the door. Hank is on the right and Aaron is standing to his left. Hank looks up at me and I give him a nod so they know Lexie and I are ready to go. The door swings open and I walk out with Lexie trailing behind me. Hank and Aaron make a swift and subtle move inside the room and we're finished.

That was my last case so Lexie and I both got to head home a bit early, I guess that was one bright spot to take out of this whole situation. I walk off to the attending locker room and don't even bother looking behind me until I notice Lexie isn't following me anymore. Glancing over my shoulder I notice the young resident with her head resting against a wall. Her pale white cheeks have turned a wintery rose color from all the crying she's been doing. I think to leave her and let her have her space, but something tells me she doesn't want that.

"Hey I know, it was a long day; it gets better." I start

"No, it's not that" she gestures over to the patients room "I mean that's bad too but, it's not that"

""Then what is it?" I ponder

She looks off to the side as if she's embarrassed, then her eyes move back toward me.

"It just, it kinda reminded me of Meredith today. Whenever she talks about our dad I just can't picture it, I could never picture anyone neglecting a child like that…I'm sorry I lost my temper in there."

"I've seen worse" I console her with a pat on the back.

"Hey Lexie, I think we're headed in the same direction today; do you wanna ride together maybe we can grab a coffee on the way."

Lexie looks puzzled and I figure it's because she doesn't know if it's a nominal offer or not.

"I would have offered alcohol but I didn't know if, you know, with your dad…but I'd really like you to come." I say in a fumbled attempt to clarify things.

"I'd love that Dr. Robbins" she says with her perky smile of acceptance in full affect.

"Dr. Robbins, can I ask you something about Callie?" she squeaks hesitantly as we walk toward the locker rooms.

"Not if it involves Mark Sloan, George O'Malley, Erica Hahn or any combination of the three."

"It doesn't " Lexie sighs in relief.

"It's just, how much do you like her. I mean do you just like, like her a lot or is it love or something."

Now I'm just confused. She continues this rambling conversation all the way out to the parking lot though.

"It's just that mark, and I know I said this wasn't about him and it isn't even though it kind of is, Mark loves Callie. He won't say it but I know that's how he feels."

"Love how exactly?" I ask while pausing to find my keys

"That's just it, I don't know. That's why I'm asking you I need something to compare him against."

I really don't want to answer her, but something in me takes pity on the poor girl.

"I don't know how Mark feels about Callie, but I can tell it's not what he feels for you. You make him a less shallow person and from what Callie tells me, that is a pretty impressive feat."

* * *

**Callie's POV**

I can't help but be excited about the show I'm about to put on, I still have the image of Arizona's face when I did this the first time. We were having a date night and she got the idea that we should take turns revealing secret talents, that's how I found out she is incredibly flexible. She did this thing where she bent over backwards in to a perfect arch, then she folded herself into a pretzel and finished it off with the splits. So it's my turn and I am racking my brain to think of something when I suddenly remember my prop box from the wetlands expedition I took over the summer. I go to my closet to retrieve it and start putting on pretty elaborate shadow puppet show. Midway through my shadow puppet version of Peter and the Wolf I realize how long the story is and decide to stop much to Arizona's chagrin. Turns out the girl really enjoys a good shadow puppet show.

So tonight I figure since she's having such a bad day I'd do one of her favorite fairytales "The Princess and the Pea" last time I did this it ended in her begging for an encore and promising dirty things in exchange, I don't expect it to be much different this time either. That all changes when I hear the door open and see her walk in toeing Lexie behind her.

"Before you say anything I just want to let you know that Lexie and I both had a very long, very stressful day and I was just telling her how great my girlfriend is at cheering people up, which by the way is one of the many things I love about you." Arizona explains without even letting me interject.

I really don't have the energy to object so I cave easily, which she probably knew I would do.

"alright, but Grey if you tell anyone about this I swear to every patron saint in that hospital chapel…"

"My lips are sealed" she does a little lock and key motion across her lips that I internally roll my eyes at.

So I escort them over to the sofa and set up the lights to start the show. They are still kind of sulking about their day, but that soon changes after I ad lib a few scenes in the story. At first they just show soft smiles, then a few faint giggles, but eventually they are just tickled to the point of hysterics. By the time the story is over they've made so much noise I wouldn't be surprised if I started getting angry letters from the other tenants. Then there's a knock at the door. I look through the peep hole to see Mark leaned up against the door frame.

"Torres Open the door, I know Lexie's in there. I'd recognize that loud cackling anywhere."

We all roll our eyes at his insensitivity. No sooner do I let him in than he's got his hands hoisted to his hips like an angry mom.

"Oh so now you can hang out here but I can't"

"I'm not the one who's in love with her" Lexie retorts still giggling from before.

"I'm not in love with Callie" Mark says firmly.

Arizona and I retreat to the kitchen, we can still hear them but it gives them the feeling of privacy.

"Then why couldn't you answer me before" Lexie wonders in confusion.

"I couldn't answer before because I didn't know what I was feeling. I'm Mark Sloan, I don't tell women I love them and I don't waste time delving in to my feelings. I love Callie, that will always be true I love her like a sister."

"You'd have sex with your sister?" Lexie looks a little disturbed

"No, ew, that's not what I meant. I mean I never really had any kind of family except for Derek and uh Torres is like family for me. She invites me over on holidays and asks me how I'm doing… I'd beat up any one of her exes if she asked me."

"You'd beat a woman?" Arizona calls out from the kitchen and I have to cover her mouth to keep her from saying anymore.

Dispite his poor choice of words I get what Mark is trying to say, and it's honestly one of the most touching things he's ever said to me.

"It's ok Mark" I announce walking out of the kitchen, "I get it, and I feel the same way, in a less incestuous woman beater type way, but still basically the same."

He smiles in relief and so does Lexie. If I didn't know better I would say it almost looked like Mark was going to hug me, but he shook it off in classic manly Mark way and took Lexie by the hand.

"So what was all that noise from before?" He asks to no one in particular

"Oh Mark Callie…" Lexie starts before remembering that she promised not to tell. "She does this amazing thing that I can't tell you about"

Mark looks over at me stone faced "Is this the thing from before? Callie your gonna tell me what it is"

"I don't have to tell you a thing" I jokingly retort

He calls my name in a warning tone and I know he means business, luckily, or unluckily depending on how you look at it, Lexie tries to smooth things over

"Oh Mark it's no big deal she's just really gifted with her hands"

"I'll say." Arizona agrees and we both smile at the not so subtle innuendo that Lexie completely misses.

Mark looks totally peeved by now and I almost want to let him out of his misery, but I decide that stiring the pot a little more will be more entertaining.

"Oh well, you know when you're stuck in the middle of the forest for a month you have to come up with something to entertain yourself."

I watch as the vein in his forehead pops out and he turns as red as an angry Yosemite Sam.

"Torres! What did you do to my girlfriend" He screams while lunging at me but I dart off behind the couch calling for sanctuary as I go. A rather lack luster chase ensues with Lexie and Arizona trying their damndest to block him off as I move between the coffee table and the probably didn't help that every time he asked what was going on I responded with "I'll never tell" doing my best Britney Murphy impersonation. Eventually it ends after Arizona is finally able to convince him that we were indeed talking about a puppet show.

I know she'll never be 100% on Mark, but after today I think Arizona can finally see that he would never be a threat to us. I give her a quick peck on the lips as Mark and Lexie head across the hall. As the door closes she turns to me with a question in her eyes.

"Callie, are you ever going to answer me?"

I want so badly to tell her, but it would ruin my plans and I have great plans. Instead I give her another kiss and wipe a loose curl from her face.

"Let's go to bed, it's late" and she does, however reluctantly.

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The last couple chapters are longer than usual I don't know if that is good or bad.** Please Review** It feeds my creative juices.**  
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	13. Blame It On the Rain

**AN: **Sorry for the darkness

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When you first come across a new space you take it at a glance. It's new, it's different and you are just doing your best not to get lost. That's how my first couple of months went at Seattle Grace; I was just in aw most of the time and trying not to forget where I had to be. After those first few months though you settle in and you start noticing the flower arrangements, the subtle hints of ivy creeping over the exterior of the building at all corners, the pointed arching sky lights in the ceiling that let the sun in at an angle as if to light a path in front of you, you see it all and everything is beautiful and it all belongs to you. Then one day maybe not too soon after, or maybe years later, but one day you're walking and there's a crack in the wall and one of the trash cans in the corridor is overflowing once again and you notice that every single wall no matter where you turn is painted some kind of baby-puke pastel color. You start to wonder why no one has bothered to fix that damn crack in the wall and how long had it been there anyway. Was it always there? Even on the very first day? Were you just now seeing things without your rose colored glasses? I'd been there to that place where the grass seemed greener somewhere else, but luckily I met Arizona she managed to take me back to the place where everything was rosy and the flowers were in bloom just for me. I was loving work again loving Seattle Grace and Seattle and life in general because of loving Arizona.

So when I got to work today and felt as if the hospital were luring me in to be devoured I hesitated with a bit of surprise at the resurgence of this uneasy feeling. My stomach was turning knots as if it were my first day and not the sixth year I'd been working here. Everything seemed out of place, everything from the nurses to the door numbers. I look up to the ceiling in search of the light for my path, but instead I find rain shooting out of the sky like a missile attack. Again I can't shake the lost feeling that overwhelms me. I grab my patient charts but hesitate before starting anything because I don't know that I will remember what to do at this point.

"It's pretty bad out there huh Dr. Torres?" Lexie squeaks from behind me startling me.

It's just rain, it's not that bad I try to assuage my fears but it doesn't work so I move on to harsher more abrupt declarations. It's FREAKING Seattle I remind myself, who lives in Seattle and gets pissed about rain.

"Have you seen Arizona?" I implore ignoring Lexie's comment about the weather. We're both standing against the railing of the second floor staircase staring out into the dark gray sky ahead of us. No one looks familiar, The nurses are all different, like automatons not themselves. Everything seems to be happening around us as if we are standing still or not up to pace. Lexie even looks unfamiliar, she looks deflated and void. She's been gazing off into space for some time now and I consider the possibility that she never heard my question, but then she speaks.

"I don't know, I haven't seen…I haven't really seen anyone today, except you. I haven't seen anyone."

I didn't get what was going on but there was certainly a bad vibe in the air for a day that should have been a very happy day for me. Today was D-day, day five, the day Kelly and Bette pack up and head out to L.A for good. That is supposed to be happy news, but I can't fight the unease in the pit of my stomach. Realizing that standing around moping won't get the day done any faster I decide to prioritize.

"Hey Lexie, I've got rounds and a clamp assisted femur fracture, do you want to join?"

I watch as she nods in agreement as if she has no energy to speak; something was definitely off about today. But work has to be done so I ignore my inkling about the day and press forward. Rounds seem to go as if on autopilot. I check my patients heart rates, ask about any discomfort or sudden changes, and make sure there incisions are healing properly without infection. There of course are the typical questions which I let Lexie take care of, and the polite banter but mostly it just feels like my body is acting against my will, I look to Lexie who seems to be sharing in the same level of discomfort.

Three hours later I look over to Lexie as we both stand out in the hall reviewing the patient chart before my surgery. Really it's just me quizzing her to be sure she's been paying attention.

"Caroline Appleby, 41. She slipped in the shower while dancing to Copa-Cabana, she's got a fractured femur which happens to be her second so we'll be using a clamp for this repair" Lexie spat it out all at once in her typical fashion as we proceeded into the patient room

"Mrs. Appleby," I greeted her with as warm a smile as I could muster for today.

"I love cabana music as much as the next guy but dancing in the shower? I thought you were going to take it easy after last time."

Mrs. Appleby took hold of my hand and I felt a chill wash over me. I let a small gasp escape my lips and she smiles gently toward me.

"Oh Callie I had every intention of doing just that, I really did…"

"But?" I ask while motioning for Lexie to start positioning the clamp. I watch the young resident to ensure she's placing the gears correctly.

"Well you know how it is being in lo…AHH OWWW!"

Mrs. Appleby's face contorts in a way that no woman's ever should. It's the look of a woman in agony, skin crawling mind numbing agony and the sad part is it won't be over for a while as Lexie has to keep tightening the gears and we have to go slowly so as not to cause any bone damage. She looks at me as if to ask why I'm allowing her to be tortured this way. Strange thing is this usually gives me a giggle but today I have that familiar cringe worthy feeling that swept over me my first couple weeks as a resident when I was the one in Lexie's position. I feel like my minds been warped and only a demented voyeur could take any source of comfort out of watching a woman squirm this way.

"I told you if we had to go in a second time it would be harder, more painful Caroline"

Caroline laughs between her tears "It was worth it, Darren is just so… ARGH!"

The procedure runs like clockwork a turn every fifteen minutes until the bone settles at the right angle, then I'm ready to apply the temporary bonding adhesive and set her for plaster. We're just at the good part when Dr. Bailey comes rushing in to the room full of blazing aggression.

"Dr. Torres, We've got a mass of victims in a three car pileup coming in to the ER we need all hands on deck how soon can you be ready?"

"I'll close this up and be down there in about five, Grey you can go with Bailey I'll be down in a second.

Just as they leave I kick myself mentally. I knew something was off about today and here it was, doom and gloom parading itself down the emergency entrance way once again. I get down there soon enough to see the most horrific sight of anything I've ever witnessed at this hospital. Every single exam room is occupied by a bleeding crying child none of them look older than ten. I try to count them but every time I get distracted by the crying. It sounds fresh and blood curdling every time. There's got to be around six of them screaming and wailing and calling for mommy and daddy. An ER doctor bumps into me jolting me out of my trance and I move towards a resident that seems to be calling for help.

"Oh good, Dr. Torres." He declares in relief. "This kid's legs got mangled in the between the seat and the car door, parents were ejected from the car doesn't look like they'll make it."

The kid looked up at me crying suddenly at the thought of his parents.

"Nice Job." I snort toward the resident who just looks apologetically toward the kid.

"Has anyone paged Dr. Robbins?" I ask surveying the room in search of anyone from pediatrics.

"I paged her over half an hour ago I can't get a hold of her, the whole hospital is a mess today."

Where was Arizona? She should have been in to work by now; she had a surgery scheduled for two hours ago. I let the quiet panic going on in my head subside as I try to asses the patient in front of me.

"Hey there Corey my name's Dr. Torres can you tell me what happened today?" I ask while examining both legs. His right leg is barely holding on and there's way too much nerve damage, it will have to be amputated, but the left is good and with some work I can salvage it. I make a note in his chart in case he gets passed around so no one touches his left leg until I get to it.

"My mom was driving me and my brother to the soccer game my dad was following behind with my sister and three other kids from the team… where's my mommy?"

"Your mom's fine we have some other doctors making sure she gets medicine right now, but right now I need to take care of you ok." I try my best to comfort him but I don't think kids like me very much so he just kind of slumps into his bed and lays as still as possible while I prep him to be rushed into an OR. My mind drifts off to Arizona even if I didn't need her the hospital needed her, where was she?

"She came out of nowhere… mom tried to get out of the way but the road was so slippery. That blond lady came and…where's my brother? Where's Caleb?"

If I wasn't freaked before I was definitely freaking now. Arizona was MIA and apparently this kid got side swiped by a blonde lady. Was it my blonde lady? We all seemed to be moving in a vacuum the world was happening outside of these walls, people were laughing, crying, celebrating doing whatever it is they normally do and managing to avoid this place until the hospital's vacuum sucked them in. They didn't want to be here, but life stopped once you came in here and there was no way of knowing when it would start again, there was no way of exiting the vacuum.

I went back in to the OR worried and distant. I couldn't keep my mind off the possibility that Arizona was somewhere in pain and needing my help. I could really have used Arizona's help during the surgery since I was used to dealing with adult joints. Kid's joints settle at more acute angles so the bones are harder to manipulate and you have to be extra careful. I was worried I would be too rough and end up mangling Corey for life. One of the nurses left the door cracked on her way in so I could hear the paramedics giving their overview as they rushed more people in.

"We've got a female adult here, looks to be in her mid thirties with massive internal bleeding" I look toward the door just soon enough to see a rush of blond hair blaze past me.

I have to remind myself to focus on the patient. I have to literally tell myself that everything is going to be ok. No way is it Arizona, no way is she anywhere but at home playing hookie and waiting for me to call her for drinks. That's how I get through the surgery, it's the only thing keeping me sane and I hope it's not a lie I've convinced myself it is the truth. We manage to stabilize five of the six kids before I decide to head home. I'm winded and too distracted to be of use to anyone I pass Lexie on the way out and she calls me over.

"So I managed to get a hold of Mark he's coming in about an hour from now, he says he hasn't seen Arizona but I'm sure she's just somewhere sleeping. We've all been a little winded lately."

I try to take in what she's telling me but my mind is a blur I don't understand anything and everything looks so strange and foreign around me. I'm lucky if I remember to put one foot in front of the other. I look around trying to think of where I was going and suddenly remember the blond lady from earlier in the day. I stagger off aimlessly in search of the mystery patient. I pull my cell phone out as I walk.

"I thought you were headed home." Lexie calls after me.

"I thought I was too" I answer back while dialing Arizona's number. It goes to voicemail again and I try not to get agitated. I walk around the exam rooms looking for the blonde lady from before and have to look at all the children we'd worked on earlier. They sit up eagerly each time the curtain is pulled back as if expecting to see their parents. Three off them would not get to have that luxury. Finally towards the end of the last bay I find the only adult the ER had treated all day and see that the spot for a name on her chart has been marked "unknown" I pull the curtain back and look up in both horror and relief at what lays ahead of me. I walk over to her as she sleeps and give her a soft kiss on the forehead. Pulling the curtain closed as I walk out I grab her patient chart once more. I take out my pen and cross off the spot that had been marked "unkown" replacing it with her proper name I look on in disbelief as I read the chart in my head. With everything that had happened to her it would be more than a miracle if she survived past a week. I put the chart back in its place taking one last glimps at the spot where I'd filled in her name so it now read Kelly Wentworth.

Walking out into the rain I looked up at the sky Watching the rain fire down from the sky. I wondered if god had been playing a sort of cruel joke on me. But it didn't matter, I needed to get back home, I needed to feel alive just for a little while, and after that I needed to find Arizona.

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**Please Review** It feeds my creative juices.**  
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	14. Lonely Girl

Driving in the rain when you're angry is never a good idea and if I were in my right mind I would totally advise against it. But that was a big if, and tonight I had a bad case of tunnel vision. I hadn't heard from or spoken to Arizona all day and every time I called it went straight to voicemail. So what does a girl do when her girlfriend isn't answering the phone and she's just gotten off of a ver stressful day, a day when for some time she thought the person she loved most might have been hurt? Well I'll tell you what I did, I jumped in my T-Bird and started driving like a maniac toward the gated subdivision Arizona called home.

It only took one visit to Arizona's house to realize why she likes staying at my apartment so much. The happy peppy no bullshit doctor everyone gets to see at the hospital goes home to an empty three bedroom with bad insulation every day. She doesn't like to be alone, but she hates feeling vulnerable even more so she keeps this place as her backup plan in case there's no one for her to go home with. The lawn is perfectly green, there's a cute little bed of roses growing to the left of the steps, her welcome mat has butterflies on it, and her doorbell even has a personalized ringer that sounds like the first bar of the chorus to "The Good Ship Lollypop". Still, something about it doesn't feel like home, there's no sign that Arizona lives there. It wasn't until she asked me to move in with her that night that I realized why her house never felt like home. The realization nearly knocked the wind out of me; I made her happy. It wasn't that I didn't know it before, but more that I realized that before me she wasn't happy . Sure she put on a good face at work but that's what she does, she puts on the best happy peppy act I've seen since Izzy the Bambi lover. But here she was every day going home feeling empty just like her house was empty. That's why she filled up my closet with all her things, not because she was invading me, but because she felt like that's where they belonged, with me. To tell the truth, she was right.

So, as I was saying, I'm driving around like a mad woman in a shit storm of rain trying to find the know-it=all type A control freak that I was so madly in love with but as I pull in to her driveway to see no car and all the lights turned off I realize she probably hasn't been home all day which kind of makes me happy. After ringing the bell incessantly in the most bratty irritating way and waiting a good five minutes I finally head home. Though I'm still worried that there's something terribly wrong, there's a part of me that knows everything is ok; that part of me is plotting a very elaborate revenge for whatever stunt she is pulling today. Pulling in to my apartment my butt starts to vibrate and I realize it's my phone's way of telling me I have a new text message. I pull my phone out in a hurry only to be disappointed that it's from Cristina.

"Your friends been here all day ranting, and throwing cloths around." That's all it says and that's all it needs to say.

I open the door to find Arizona standing off in a dark corner clutching the handle of a large suitcase and smoking a cigarette.

"Why haven't you been answering your phone?" I ask as calmly as possible

"Do you have any idea, any idea at all what I've been through today?"

"Do YOU have any idea what I've been through today?" I retort without thinking

Arizona spins around in a huff of anger accidently blowing cigarette smoke at me.

"Oh for crap sake would you stop smoking those things!" I demand

This clearly enrages her as she tosses the burnt out cigarette and lights up another one. She's so cute when she's mad that I almost want to just forgive her without another word. But then I remember that for a good 12 hours today I didn't know if she was dead or alive because she wouldn't answer the phone.

"When I asked you to move in with me you said you needed to think so I gave you time. But I am tired of waiting" She looks down at her suitcase for a second shaking with agitation.

"Arizona…"

"No, I don't care. I know you have some type of excuse but you always do and I don't care. I woke up today and I couldn't keep my head on straight cause I was too busy wondering if today would be the day, do you have any idea what it's like being kept in suspense like that? It's cruel! I'm done, I'm done waiting and I'm done with you."

She turned to leave clearly expecting me to follow her but by the time she got to the door it dawned on her that I was just going to let her leave.

"Fine, you do realize that If I go that's it right? I mean we will be seriously over with."

"Ok" was all I could muster without blowing my top.

"That's it then cause I'm not coming back for any reason, except maybe tomorrow."

"What? why are you coming back tomorrow?" I ask puzzled

"I couldn't fit all my stuff in here and kinda was hoping I wouldn't have to, but that's not the point the point is after some time tomorrow I will not be returning." She says as she finally walks out the door.

I watch the door close behind her and giggle to myself at the thought of Arizona lugging that giant suitcase down to the lobby and huffing all the way home. I hear Cristina's door crack open and she steps out cautiously.

"Your laughing?" she questions curiously.

"Yep."

"Are you ok?"

"Never better." I say still in between giggles.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she says the last one with a bit of hesitation the way she did when I told her about Erica.

"Go back to bed Cristina." I plead with a soft smile.

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The next day at work I get the sneaking suspicion that all the nurses and residents are giving me the evil eye. I try to find out from Lexie what is going on but all I get in response is a shake of the head and a silently mouthed sorry. I brush it off because I have a kick ass surgery today with Dr. Cooper and I don't have time to think about anything else but the robotic bone knee joint replacement I'm doing today. But when I get to the residents area to recruit an assistant and no one volunteers I know something is wrong with the world. This is the type of surgery even a cardio god like Cristina would jump at. Since when do you get to replace a fourteen-year-old's knee joint with a robotic implant that is semi –stimulated by the nervous system. I mean I even had Dr. Nelson from Neurology and Dr. Cooper from Pediatrics coming in on it with me. Still no one would talk to me except for Cristina who seemed to be speaking in code.

"Everyone wants in on this" she informed me.

"Then shouldn't they be kissing my ass?" I asked quizzically

"Dr. Cooper called in sick." No kidding that was her response to my question just to say that Dr. Cooper called in sick.

"Dr. Cooper from PEDS called in sick." She repeated as if there was something I missed.

Just then my curly blonde butterfly walked in to the room all full of smiles and it hit me what Cristina was trying to say. Dr. Cooper called in sick and they replaced him with Arizona. I was going to have to be in the OR with Arizona for a good six hours.

"Ok anyone want to tell me what the hell is going on?" I ask no one in particular.

"Fine whatever, You all realize that I will be doing all the fancy cool stuff right? I'm going to need two assistants, anyone want to speak up now?"

They all just look blankly at the ground or stare at each other questioningly.

"Dr. Robbins has veto power on the surgery" Cristina reminds me.

"Yeah but she's not gonna veto my surgery for no good…"

I look over at Arizona to find she has a perky grin of satisfaction on her face and I know what she's done.

"You threatened scalpel starved residents with surgery cancelation because of me!"

"Steve, Ryan you're with me. The rest of you can wait for Dr. Robbins and Dr. Nelson to take their pick." With that I storm out of the lounge and head for the prep room.

Stupid, smiley butterfly woman. She obviously didn't go home because if she had we wouldn't even be having this problem. And where the hell did she go anyway. I was pacing and probably mumbling to myself which Ryan and Steve both noticed at took pause not knowing what to do. I had to snap out of it so I called in reinforcements. Within a minute Mark was there with a coffee in hand to help calm me down, he said a few reassuring words and something about me being like Rocky (Similes and metaphor are not his strong suit) then he quickly left.

"All right let's go scrub in" I announce and just like that we're off to surgery and thanks to Mark I have "Eye of the Tiger" stuck in my head.

In the OR we're not two people trying to dominate each other, were not bickering or fighting or even giving each other harsh glances. I finish the procedure without much complication and Arizona even compliments my reverse clamping method. The surgery was just another example of how well we work together and how much we can read each other. We meet up in the scrub room and it seems to be back to square one until Arizona finally speaks.

"About before I um I should be by around ten if I can get out of here."

"That's fine" is all I manage to muster.

Arizona moves in front of the scrub room door and I can tell she's preparing to give me another nuanced speech.

"I don't apologize usually, so I guess I may have been a little out of line today. But Calliope you are driving me crazy how can you say you love me and then let me walk out like that. That's not love; you don't give up on love."

At this point I can't handle it anymore and despite the fact that her furrowed brow and angry face make me smile on the inside I can't just let her keep going.

"You're not always right you know. I spent half of a twenty hour shift worried that you were dead. I called and you never answered, I went to your house no one was there and all I could think about were the six kids I'd just treated who lost their parents because Kelly Wentworth can't hold her liquor. She was so banged up they didn't know who it was. I thought it was you at first, I thought you were dead. I guess you're just going to have to forgive me if the thought of losing you didn't scare me so much the second time around."

I watch as she goes from boasting to completely deflate in a matter of a few seconds she looks up at me apologetically and tries to excuse herself from the room but I take her by the hand before she can leave.

"If you'd have went home last night you'd have your answer already" I say reassuringly but she doesn't seem to be in the mood to talk anymore and I let her pass.

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So I'm back at home waiting to hear from Arizona. I know she's got a busy day what with the Chief toting her around the hospital as if she's the chosen one. I mean don't get me wrong Arizona saving children is cute, it's amazing, it's actually a bit of a turn-on, but Arizona didn't like all the pressure that was suddenly being thrust upon her. So I just sat and waited as best I could without passing out from sheer fatigue. The phone never rang but around one am the door flung open as I sat on a stool nursing a glass of wine about to go to bed. Arizona stood in the door way with her eyes full of tears trying hard to pretend she wasn't crying.

"You..you had it dec…you had my house decorated" she declared while clearing her eyes.

"I had to, your walls were the color of primer. And you have absolutely no ar.."

Before I could finish she flung the door closed and had me in a full on kiss. She liked to be aggressive which was another thing people wouldn't guess about Arizona. I tried to slow it down but she had me by the hair and I'm not going to lie it was a total turn on. But before the horny part of me could kick in the sane part of me remembered that it was 1am and Cristina was having trouble sleeping.

"wait..wait just a second" I say making an earnest effort to get back to the conversation but Arizona is a determined woman and she basically pulls forces me on to the sofa as she continues to extend the kiss while disrobing me. That's it my resolve is gone and I'm completely prepared to go there with her, but she suddenly pulls away with a puzzled look on her face.

"Some of the stuff you bought it kind of expensive Callie."

"I know." I quip from underneath her

"But how did…"

"I may have had a few conversations with my dad"

"So he gave you your trust fund back"

"Sort of…you know what talking about my dad totally ruins happy sexy time"

Arizona leans her head back in to my chest and we just sort of lay there on what would normally be a very uncomfortable couch. A few moments later I hear her call out to me.

"Callie, are you asleep?"

"Nope, just doing my time and taking my chances."

"What?"

"I can't sleep cause I have that damn survivor song stuck in my head."

This causes Arizona to erupt in a fit of laughs as she softly strokes my hair.

"Well I don't think I own any of the Rocky films, you wanna go to my place?"

"Babe, it's our place now." I remind her as I nod my head in agreement.

"Your right it is" Arizona beams, "Just one thing though, that giant portrait of you hanging in the foyer is being moved to the master bath"

"I'm just marking my territory" I say giving her a quick peck on the forehead.

"Not with that picture you're not. I'm not giving people a visual aid so they can fantasize about my girlfriend"

"Is that what you'll be doing in the bathroom" I ask as I run off to get dressed which gets me wacked in the head by a pillow.

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I took a bit of a risk with this, hopefully most of you were not upset about the shortest break up ever. I felt like Callie had to make her point.** Please Review: **It feeds my creative juices.


	15. It's Not Over

AN: The next chapter is the last chapter

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"There's no way you got all your clothes to fit in there." Arizona declares in shock as I wheel my suitcase and tote bag up to her drive way.

"Well believe it, Some people in the world don't need an outfit for every minute of the day."

Arizona rolls her eyes at me and scoffs while opening the door.

"But you're always buying new clothes." She chides.

"Yeah, and I give the old stuff away every other season."

"Wow, she saves wetlands, she mends broken bones, she'll even give you the shirt off her back. Call the Nobel Prize Commission folks."

I was going to be upset about the mockery but then I realized that hostile mockery served with a smile was Arizona saying she felt insecure about something. She'd done the same thing with Mark when we first started dating, in fact I think there's still a little hostility whenever those two get around each other. So getting mad that I didn't have a mountain of clothes meant she was really mad about something she'd done in relation to my clothes.

"What'd you do?"

"Me, what nothing I just, I've never seen anyone taking the expression _living out of a suitcase_ quite as literally as you do."

"That's two Arizona, you wanna go for number three or are you going to tell me what's going on"

But she doesn't tell me anything she just apologizes and kisses my cheek. Even when I threaten to stand in her front lawn until she starts talking she just waltzes inside without saying a word. I really would have stayed parked outside but when I looked up at the sky and saw all those clouds zeroing in on me It was like someone was trying to send me a message from above. It didn't take long to figure out what Arizona was being so hush-hush about. Navigating my way up the spiral stair case and down the hall into her bedroom something felt different. I had it painted a nice lavender color and replaced the carpeting with mahogany wood, but that wasn't what felt different. I couldn't quite put my finger on it until I opened the closet to drop off one of my boxes. Half of her closet was empty, a whole side of her closet was missing all the random outfits she'd stored up over the past few years.

"Oh my GOD! Sweetie you've been robbed!" I exclaim in complete shock.

Arizona's not too far behind me but doesn't seem as startled as I am in the slightest.

"I have not been robbed Calliope. I cleared out my closet, I wanted you to have space for your stuff which apparently you don't have a lot of" she says this pointing to my suitcase and duffle bag.

"But where'd you put all your things, you didn't get rid of them did you? Cause I would have liked final approval on…"

"Easy killer" she whispers in my ear while snaking her arms around my waste from behind. "I just moved them to one of the closets in the downstairs guest room"

"I'm sorry; you must be so tired moving all those cloths up and down the stairs. I should have told you it wasn't necessary" I console Arizona half teasingly as I lay a few kisses on her cheek.

"So what are we going to do with all this closet space?" Arizona teases. I know exactly what she's thinking and before she can offer any suggestions I push us both in to the closet and continue kissing her.

"I can think of a few things" I add before lengthening the kiss.

"Normally I would comment on the obvious closet metaphor here, but, nope I'm just gonna let you go to work" Arizona exclaims in a breathy sigh.

Arizona's blouse falls open exposing her panting chest and I pause to look at her admiring how beautiful she is. I can't believe how much I love her, or how much she loves me. She looks up at me with pure confusion on her face.

"Are we gonna do this or what?" I love how impatient she is sometimes.

"Yeah, we're definitely, um…this could take a while" I say taking notice of how particularly perky certain parts of her anatomy are today. "I'm pulling overtime tonight" I add before going in for the kill.

* * *

I had two days off which was a kind of torture for me because no one else had any vacation time left being that it was so close to the holiday season. I spent most of my time going shopping and trying to acclimate myself to my new surroundings. But occasionally there would just be nothing to do which would lead to lots of texting and Arizona or Mark texting back that I needed to get a life. After spending three straight hours following the updates on Perez Hilton I realized they were right.

Getting in to my car I really didn't know where I planned on going, I sort of just thought I'd drive around until something inspired me. However I found myself driving toward the intersection that leads to the market and the hospital. It was a right turn to the hospital and a left turn to the market. I stayed practically parked there trying to make up my mind for nearly ten minutes. Several cars honked at me and eventually just drove around. Then there was the bird. This tweeting little bird showed up out of nowhere and started circling over my head. I thought maybe it was looking for a place to take a dump, my car does tend to attract the birds around here. But when I started to drive the bird moved in front of my windshield and stayed there as if guiding my car toward the market. I figure why argue with nature so I followed the bird toward the market hoping I'd find something to hold my attention.

No broken bones, or mangled bodies, no butchers accidently slicing off a finger in the meat grinder, nope nothing at all that would inspire an orthopedic surgeon. But I did find holiday welcome signs and a nice display on squash which reminded me of this recipe I saw on the food network. Maybe I could try it out tonight on Arizona I thought. So I bought up everything I thought I might need and headed home. It felt good to call it our home and when I thought about it I hadn't felt more at home anywhere else; it was truly where I belonged. I was looking forward to the expansive kitchen with soft swirling marble counter tops, the smell of cinnamon in the air wafting from every possible air duct, and most of all the deep purple Egyptian cotton bed sheets spread over our massive king size bed. (side note: as small as Arizona is she somehow manages to take up 80% of all bed space.) I just loved it all.

So I get home and make a pretty impressive plate of fusilli with veal and pan roasted squash. After giving myself a congratulatory pat on the back I grab my computer and catch up on some research while waiting for Arizona. I didn't think I'd get through a whole medical journal before Arizona got home, but when I check my watch to see that it's 1am I know something isn't right. She should have been back by ten at the latest and she knows how paranoid I get when she stays out late so she would have at least called. After thirty more minutes with no phone call I head down to the hospital to make sure everything is ok. I'm not going to lie there's a part of me that hopes there's an emergency and I will get to scrub in on it.

As I suspected the hospital is once again a chaotic mess with attending and residents scrambling everywhere. This time it's because of a basement flooding situation at Seattle Presbyterian. They had to ship two floors worth of critical patients between here and Mercy West. Chief Webber looks more than happy to see me which means I'll probably be scrubbing in on something pretty soon. But all hope of surgery is completely squashed when Arizona comes rolling down the hall and nearly knocks me over. She straightens herself out and looks up at me with a warm smile.

"Oh, Callie, I'm sorry I would have called but we're kinda flooded at the moment no pun intended. Go home, I'll be there in the morning." She says giving me as chaste kiss on the lips as she scurries away to check on more children.

"No, I think I'll stay it looks like you guys could use the help."

This stops her in her tracks and she spins around with a smile that's more warning than it is warm.

"You've been working yourself into the ground running an understaffed department. I'm not asking you to go home I'm telling you."

"Well what am I supposed to do there?" I question.

"I seem to recall that three hours ago you sent me a record 25 text messages in one hour, why not see if you can break that record."

"I've run out of things to talk about." Arizona gives me a disbelieving look because even I should know it's not humanly possible for me to run out of conversation topics.

"Oh and Callie," she adds "I'm not opposed to sexting, in fact I think it's awesome."

With that I turn to leave, it's hard for me to relinquish control to Arizona, but I do it because it makes her feel better, which makes me feel better. I also do it because she's the appreciative sort of girlfriend, the very appreciative kind. Walking out to my car I remember that I'd packed Arizona a plate for dinner, well actually I'd packed it for both of us, but it looked like we'd both be eating solo. Heading back in with I text Arizona to meet me in the lobby. I can see her from the doorway and I smile lifting the bag to show her the food. As I'm walking up the pathway I see a few doctors from Seattle Presbyterian in their red scrubs marching through the hospital as if it was just another wing of their own.

"I was on my way out, but then I remembered that I cooked and you haven't eaten so…"

"I promise I will take a break and eat, in fact I've got about thirty minutes right now I'm waiting for them to prep an OR. We can have a late dinner in the attending lounge if you want." She suggested looking over her shoulder as if checking for the PDA police before taking hold of my hand.

We walk off happily down the corridor pecking at each other and pretending to whisper things in each other's ears. We finally make it to the lounge and Arizona does her best to try and eat her food without looking at it once. She's too busy making googley eyes at me which I'm not objecting to in the slightest.

"So what do you think?" I ask teasingly

"huh, what do I think about what?"

"The food, do you like it?" I explain.

"I love the food, the food is delicious." She says clearly not referring to anything I cooked.

If she weren't so tired and preoccupied we'd probably be having sex right now but instead she leans her head back against my shoulder and shuts her eyes in an attempt to steel some sleep.

"It was the strangest thing earlier; a bird flew in to the hospital." Arizona announced in between yawns

"You can tell me later, just sleep."

She shuts her eyes and I rub her back until she's fully asleep. Five minutes later her pager goes off, the OR is ready and she has to try and be alert. I watch her eyes dart open and grab her scrub cap to help her put it on.

"I think I'll go visit Kelly before I go home" I mention in passing.

Arizona pauses and I feel a chill come over her as she turns to face me with her serious eyes gazing toward me. I know before she says anything, I know because I can feel it and I've been feeling it all day. The bird that followed me around all day, the rain that forced me to go inside; it was Kelly.

"I'm so sorry I know you still cared about her." Arizona tries to comfort me.

"Arizona maybe…" before I could finish my thought Mark came barging in to the room brooding over something probably another case of some misinformed resident trivializing the plastics department.

"Oh good Torres you're here" He turns to see a startled Arizona

"Am I interrupting something?" he adds with a hint of dirtiness.

"Nope I've gotta go." Arizona announces making her way toward the door. "Go home and rest Callie I don't want to see you till morning." She adds on her way out.

Mark looks at her questioningly because clearly there's some nonverbal argument going on between them. Mark turns to me raising an eyebrow.

"Did she tell you Hahn is here?" he asks without missing a beat.

"WHAT!" I find myself yelling at a fleeting Arizona.

"Sick kids, gotta go." She proclaims once more before dashing away.

* * *

**Please Review: I live for comments **Was watching Law & Order and saw Brooke Smith which gave me the idea for this chapter.


	16. Unchained Melody

AN: Last chapter another one where I switch POVs

* * *

**Callie's POV**

At first I was just trying to wrap my head around the why of things, why was Arizona in such a rush to get rid of me? Why would she think Erica was an issue at all? Why was it that every time I needed her to trust me she turned into a complete control freak? I wasn't mad, actually I thought it was kind of cute that she made up this elaborate story to get me out of the hospital just so I wouldn't run into Erica, but as sexy as her domineering ways can be, I needed her to know that it would no longer be tolerated if we were going to keep moving forward.

Mark is holding the door open to usher me out but I don't move.

"You not heading home?"

"Nope I think I'll stay and help out after all."

Mark's eyes widen with fear

"Cal, as much as I would love to see the inevitable three way lesbian brawl that would result from this, you've got to go home. I just got used to peppy you, mean bitter you is kinda freaky for me to think about."

Once again Mark Sloan has managed to surprise me in both a good and bad way. He lowers his gaze toward me.

"besides Hahn is a bitch today, seeing you will just make her bitch more."

"I am not staying to see Erica, I'm staying to prove that I don't want to see her"

Mark's brow furrows in frustration "you do realize that makes no sense at all right?"

The first surgery I got in on was a teenage girl who they'd been treating at Presbyterian for an extreme case of anxiety disorder. She'd panicked during a speech and fallen into an hour long seizure. Dr. Douglas at Seattle Presbyterian managed to stabilize her two days ago in fact she was being discharged today. I look at her wavy brown hair her twinkling green eyes fluttering with the will to lift herself from the bed. I'd been asked to consult because she was being discharged and decided to take the stairs. When she saw the water rushing up toward her she panicked and tripped down twelve steps face down into a pool of water. Everyone moving in and out of the room keeps saying how lucky she is she didn't drown, how she should be grateful for her life, how it's amazing that all she has to show for it is temporary immobility. For me though, I can understand the panic she's trying to hide with her silence. It's all in her eyes. She's scared because she didn't plan this, because she has no idea what to expect, and because she needs to feel in control; control is her security.

"Hi Meagan, I'm Dr. Torres. I'll be placing your left arm and your legs in temporary restraints"

I watch her eyes for a response since it's pretty clear there won't be any verbal communication from her today.

"This could have happened to anyone. The restraints are due to your recent seizures we want to make sure your condition doesn't worsen due to involuntary spasms."

Her eyes move around in a fluttering fury

"Dr. Douglas will be in with Dr. Robbins to check on your condition before surgery. We'll administer an anesthetic, so you shouldn't feel anything."

Just as I'm leaving Arizona stomps in to the scrub room with Dr. Douglas ready to blow her stack.

"Dr. Douglas this is Dr. Torres she'll be performing Meagan's ACL and back knee repair she'll also be setting the left arm."

"Ah The 6 Million Dollar Doctor, your reputation precedes you." I give him a look of pure confusion which he automatically picks up on.

"Oh, um It's just everyone in ortho at Pres kept calling you that after reading your article about leg and ligament reconstruction and titanium. Very impressive I might add." He says this with a small wink and a hint of flirtation.

Arizona feigned patience as Dr. Douglas continued to flirt with me oblivious to the fact that my girlfriend was standing right next to him.

"And I heard from one of my colleagues you froze a man out of paralysis, your quite the risk taker aren't you?"

Arizona beamed lazers toward me as if to say I should end the conversation, and I do, but not because I'm scared of her or anything, I just don't want to give Dr. Douglas the wrong idea.

"Well let's just hope risk taking won't be required today." I say as I walk out of the scrub room.

* * *

**Arizona's POV**

Dr. Douglas is standing there with his perfectly tussled blonde hair looking over his shoulder as if Callie might show up at any moment and give in to his masculine prowess. He was cute, I guess, if you like that rugged-on-purpose look. If I keep looking at him I might have a mini crying fit so I do my best to distract myself.

"Hey Meagan, I'm Dr. Robbins I'm just going to ask you a few quick questions before Amy here administers the anesthetic."

Meagan's eyes search the room for who I'm referring to.

"Amy's the one with the pretty gray eyes and rosy cheeks."

Meagan relaxes into the OR table and Amy steps forward to prep the anesthetic.

"Meagan do you have any allergies or sensitivities we should be aware of?"

She shakes her head no.

"Do you remember anything before you fell down the stairs?'

She nods her head in the affirmative.

"Do you remember anything after?"

She shakes her head no.

"The last thing you remember is falling?" she nods her head yes to this.

I step aside to give Amy space to deliver the anesthetic when Dr. Douglas chimes in.

"Just a second, Meagan do you think you could say something for me?" he pleads.

Meagan lifts her head just slightly and nods

"I don't want any anesthesia." She whispers in the kind of sweet soft angelic voice that could only come from a thirteen year old. Just like that Amy steps aside and we all stand there baffled. Dr. Douglas and I step out and begin reformulating our strategy given Meagan's request.

"The one with the pretty gray eyes and rosy cheeks?" Dr. Douglas questions. "If I didn't know better I'd say you were flirting." He adds

"Hmm, what makes you think you know better? If I recall correctly you were flirting yourself a little while ago."

He smirks revealing a knowing smile.

"Well Dr. Torres is…hard to ignore." He was right about that Callie's amazing and sexy and an eye catcher, but I wasn't about to let him know that.

* * *

**Callie's POV**

I'm napping in an on-call room when I get the page from Arizona. I can't believe I've been here almost half a day already but the surgery was scheduled to take place in an hour and here I was still floating around the hospital. I look out the door as I grab my lab coat to head out. The halls are still littered with doctors from Seattle Presbyterian one of them might be Erica but I had no way of telling I look at them and all I see is red, they're all the same color of red and I kind of had other things on my mind anyway.

"You paged me?" I implore as I walk into the attending lounge.

Dr. Douglas was laying on the sofa with his feet propped against the coffee table.

"Meagan doesn't want anesthetic, how are we supposed to operate on her with no anesthetic." Arizona is slightly freaked and I reach out to rub her shoulders but she shakes me away.

"We can do the surgery with no anesthetic, it'll hurt like hell but it can be done." I try to assure her

"Not with her condition the slightest unexpected sensation and she'll go in to nervous shock. There aren't strong enough restraints in the world to keep her down if that happens."

They both look like they've been brainstorming for a while but I had the brunt of the work to do, so I should have to do the thinking. Arizona relaxes her hands against the back of her head and slouches down in a chair.

"If she wants to feel it let her feel it we'll just have to take extra steps and prepare the residents and nurses in case it something goes wrong. I think she can take it." I declare

Arizona rolls her eyes at me as if to say I'm being ridiculous.

"She not a bad ass seeking chills for thrills Dr. Torres; she's a thirteen year old girl, she cannot take it!"

"Why are we even arguing this, hasn't anyone spoken to her parents we'll just do whatever they want." I declare in a huff of frustration.

"Her hippie parents won't decide for her, they want it to be her choice" Dr. Douglas explains using air quotes around the words _her choice_. "Speaking as her doctor for over three years I know she won't be able to handle it. She needs the anesthesia." He adds.

We're all slightly agitated, especially Arizona. She's not bringing it up now but I know when we get home it's going to be world war three for me. She's been calling me Dr. Torres instead of Callie, or even Calliope. Dr. Torres is beyond upset, when Arizona says Dr. Torres it means she's on a level of anger that would rival Bobby Knight's after Texas A&M loses a game.

"I'll go talk to her. I'll get her to take the anesthetic."

I wasn't sure if I would succeed but I figured I had to at least try. I felt a connection with Meagan earlier, maybe she felt it too.

We all enter the OR about ten minutes early Meagan's eyes are frozen with anticipation. She's trying to brace herself, to anticipate the pain, to avoid the panic. I lean down to talk to her putting on my best kid friendly face.

"Meagan I know you want to remember what it feels like. You think if you're not numb to it you'll remember it better or be better prepared next time. This thing that happened to you was unpredictable, it was random . You can't prepare for a random event though. You have to let us numb you up, you'll still remember later when it wears off, but you still won't be any better prepared for anything like this."

Arizona takes Meagan's hand. Her eyes are a bit calmer now but she still looks unsure.

"What if something goes wrong?" Meagan questions

"Awake or not, you won't be able to tell if something goes wrong. The only person that can stop me from making a mistake is me." I add "You're just going to have to trust that I'm smart enough not to make a mistake."

Arizona is holding tightly on to Meagan's hand as the young girl finally nods in agreement to anesthetic. Dr. Douglas mouths a quick thank you through his guard and Amy steps in to deliver the anesthetic. We watch patiently as Meagan's hand slowly loses it's grip on Arizona's.

Mid way through the surgery Meagan's left arm involuntarily flexes and whacks itself against the supply tray. My eye's shoot up to the intern we'd put in charge of making sure her limbs were under control.

"Sorry about that" he announces less than apologetically.

The surgery seems to march on smoothly with few other complications. I felt a bit of performance pressure because I had all but guaranteed this girl a success, which I don't do EVER. But I did this time; I told her I was smart enough not to make a mistake and now I had to prove it. Arizona and Dr. Douglas eying me like two hawks ready to pounce didn't help much either. In one corner there were Arizona's icy blue eyes warning me not to go off script, on the other side of me Dr. Douglas seemed to be dissecting my every move for interpretation.

"Not a single hesitation Dr. Torres, keep moving like that and we might be out of here in time to grab lunch." Dr. Douglas quips

"That's a bit presumptuous don't you think?" I say as a friendly warning.

" Well forgive me, you're not the only one who likes to take risks" He says this with a smile. I don't have to look to see it; I know he's smiling at me just like I know Arizona is freaking out mentally about it. I choose to ignore it and place the last screw into her right knee socket.

"Ready to close?" I ask one of the residents in the room who gratefully accepts. Right as he's beginning the closing sutures something goes wrong and Meagan starts to crash.

"What the hell?!" I shout in utter confusion

"She's got a pathway obstruction between her major veins in the left arm" Percy announces while observing the monitor.

"She's going to stroke out if we don't get a handle on this thing soon" Dr. Douglas announces

"How'd this happen?" the question of the day comes from Arizona.

I have to tune them all out and focus on everything that happened. I need this surgery to be a success, there has to be an answer and just as I'm about to panic myself, I figure it out.

"floating bone fragment."

"From when she hit her arm?" Arizona implores

"The bone was already out of line, when she hit it, she must of chipped the bone." I explain.

Dr. Douglas shouts for someone to page cardeo and I remove my scrub mask and head out to the scrub room. There's nothing more for me to do. I delivered on my promise, I didn't make any mistakes I caught what I could and I had to trust everyone else to do the same. After that I went straight home and waited impatiently for Arizona.

* * *

When the door finally opens and I see her standing there frazzled with hair drenched in rain all I can think about is Meagan.

"Did she make it?" I ask.

"We need to talk, no I need to talk and you need to listen." Arizona declares ignoring my question.

"I made a mistake, I know it was a while ago but I made a mistake and now it's all I think about every time I see you. I think how I'm lucky to still have you, how I should feel guilty for being just another person that took advantage of you, and how you could return the favor at any moment and no one would blame you. I mean your the hottest doctor in the hospital I can't help if I'm a little paranoid" My face lights up at the thought of being thought of as the hottest doctor at Seattle Grace, a title I would never have given myself.

"Arizona I'm not the only one with a reputation in this relationship. You don't think I get nervous dating the hospital's resident flirt:_ pretty gray eyes and rosy cheeks, __I like your scrub cap, what are you doing for valentines day?_ I just trust you, even though I probably shouldn't." She seemed genuinely shocked that all that had gotten back to me.

"I've been trying to prevent it, trying to control you I know I have. But I can't, even if I tie you down with restraints and lock you away." At this I raise my eyebrows in complete shock and confusion.

"I can't keep you from getting hurt or hurting me, and I can't keep you here just because every blond in America wants to take you to bed."

"That is not true." I have to interject.

"Mark, Sadie, me, Douglas, Hahn; you've got a thing with blonds just accept it." She's right, much as I'd like to deny it.

"Arizona I did not move in with you because of Mark, or anyone else. I moved in with you because when I think about coming home I think about you, my home is where you are. "

Arizona approached me hesitantly looking directly into my eyes I could read her eyes pleading me for forgiveness and I hoped she could read mine telling her she already had it.

"Meagan's in recovery we were able to massage her heart back to regular pace and luckily the fragment dislodged itself."

By now we were less than an inch apart from each other. My body completely went limp at the revelation of good news in terms of Meagan's condition. Arizona held me up and prevented me from falling.

"Who was massaging?" I implore.

"Didn't you see her? you bumped in to her on your way out."

"bumped in to who?" I ask confused once again.

"Erica!" Arizona seems majorly surprised.

"I wasn't really paying attention" I explain laying a kiss to the back of her ear.

"Let's go to bed" Arizona commanded.

"But it's 2pm what are we going to do.?" I ask playfully.

"Well I don't know about you, but I have the sudden urge to tie you up and lock the door"

* * *

One months later we were still going strong Arizona made good on her promise to trust me more which was a constant struggle for her. One night when we were out for dinnerwe received a surprise vist at our table from Dr. Douglas. It seemed this guy got all the cute genes in his family and none of the smarts because despite the fact that Arizona was stoking my hand and despite the fact that we were sharing a desert he seemed to still think I was available for the taking.

"Hey, Dr. Torres, Dr. Robbins; fancy seeing you two here"

Arizona smiled toward him in her usual condesending way, not saying a word but letting the uncomfortable silence settle in on him.

"It's nice to see you too Dr. Douglas, are you here with someone?" I ask this hoping to take the tension off of the doesn't work at all because this guy is so thick headed.

"Yeah I'm here with just my family it's our annual Christmas thing. But um Dr. Torres I just couldn''t let the opportunity pass to uh...I just I really like you and I was hoping..."

I know that voice the nervous sweating bullets with trepidation voice that he's got going on. It's the same way I imagine I sounded when I first asked Arizona out. Normally Arizona would have said something by now, she would have politly told him to go screw himself (probably not with those exact words but even when she's nice I know what she's really thinking.) Still I remember the sinking nausia that overwhelmed me after being shot down by Arizona and I don't want to do that to him; it took a lot of courage for him to aprouch me and even more for Arizona to trust that I would handle things.

"Dr. Douglas, if you asked me out a year ago I would probably have said yes, but now..."

"You've got someone." he finishes with a sigh of disappointment

Arizona is still petting my hand and she brushes a lose curl out of my face.

"Well if you change your mind." Dr. Douglas continues

Arizona breaks her stare and looks toward Dr. Douglas still feigning politeness.

"I don't think she will." she informs him.

For me it was like no one else was in the room. The entire scene melted away and it was just me and Arizona. I guess it didn't matter that Douglas was standing right there because I could look directly in front of me and see someone that I loved more than I could ever have anticipated, and someone who loved me back despite all my flaws. She was wearing her hair up today with two butterfly hair clips on each side that matched the teardrop diamond earrings I got her for Christmas. In the moment all I could think was that she was the best Christmas present I could ever hope for. That night at Joe's when she kissed me in the bar, she said I would know and she was right, I've never been so sure about her or about anything, ever.

"I don't see how you would know that Dr. Robbins" Douglas's voice seems to come out of nowhere.

I lifted Arizona's hand to my cheek and kissed her slowly and softly. I never understood her level unease with public displays of affection but it just made it that much more fun to kiss her in front of everyone. She giggled nervously as I pulled away and the warm smile on her face made the butterflys in my stomach flutter with happiness.

"I think she knows" I answer Douglas who slowly skulks away back to his table of friends and family.

* * *

**Please Review: I live for comments **Thanks so much for reading it was great writing for all of you. I'm thinking of continuing it from Arizona's POV in a new fic, we'll see


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